A New Rise: Book 3: Misty Peace
by Snowfall16
Summary: In the final book in A New Rise, Sootstar, Cinderstar, and Rainstar have settled down to lead their Clans in peace. But one determined ex-leader attempts to usurp their power and take back what once was his. Will the trio triumph once more or will everything they've worked for crumble around their paws like loosely packed sandcastles?
1. Allegiances and Prologue

ThunderClan

Leader: Sootstar _dark gray tom with dark blue eyes_

Deputy: Rustpelt _reddish tabby tom with yellow eyes_

Medicine Cat: Goldenwing _yellow-orange mottled she-cat with amber eyes_

Warriors: Tortoiseheart _tortoiseshell tom with blue eyes_

Breezelark _black and white she-cat with green eyes_

Molewhisker _brown-and-cream tom with amber eyes_

Snowclaw _fluffy white tom with amber eyes_

Streamfrost _dark gray she-cat with blue eyes and long fur_

Robinchest _tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes_

Dawnshine _fluffy, pale, smoky gray she-cat with brilliant, pale blue eyes_

Iceheart _white she-cat with thick fur and amber eyes_

Queens: Amberwing _pale ginger she-cat with amber eyes_

Kits: Birchkit _pale ginger tom with amber eyes_

Maplekit _brown and cream she-kit with amber eyes_

Sunkit _pale ginger tom with amber eyes_

* * *

WindClan

Leader: Rainstar _fluffy, light gray tom with blue eyes_

Apprentice: Lionpaw

Deputy: Adderclaw _lilac tabby tom with brown eyes_

Apprentice: Hoppaw

Medicine Cat: Alderleaf _brown tabby and white tom with pale blue eyes_

Warriors: Whistlefur _marbled gray tabby tom with pale yellow eyes_

Tansyfoot _orange tabby she-cat with a white belly and yellow eyes_

Forestwind _brown tabby tom with white paws and bright green eyes_

Blossomstep _gold and white flecked she-cat with hazel eyes_

Leafheart _mottled ginger and white she-cat with brown eyes_

Apprentice: Rowanpaw

Crouchfoot _ginger tom with brown eyes_

Apprentice: Oakpaw

Hyperion _golden tabby tom with gold eyes_

Apprentice: Honeypaw

Aspensplash _brown tabby and white she-cat with hazel eyes_

Apprentices: Rowanpaw _golden brown tabby tom with a white chest and hazel eyes_

Oakpaw _brown tabby tom with a white tail-tip and hazel eyes_

Honeypaw _gold and white flecked she-cat with bright green eyes_

Lionpaw _orange tabby tom with a white tail-tip and pale yellow eyes_

Hoppaw _gray and white tabby tom with yellow eyes_

Queens: Lightwing _brown tabby she-cat with a white muzzle, chest, belly, and legs and brown eyes_

* * *

ShadowClan

Leader: Cinderstar _light gray she-cat with blue eyes_

Apprentice: Morningpaw

Deputy: Sparrowtalon _large, brown tabby tom with yellow eyes and long fur_

Apprentice: Twigpaw

Medicine Cat: Stormtuft _black tom with yellow eyes_

Warriors: Frozenwhisker _dark gray and white tom with black stripes and pale blue eyes_

Tanglefur _long-furred brown tabby tom with yellow eyes_

Mistheart _spiky-furred, pale gray she-cat with ice blue eyes_

Foxtooth _reddish tabby tom with hazel eyes_

Vixentail _orange tabby she-cat with amber eyes_

Apprentices: Twigpaw _spiky-furred, brown tabby tom with yellow eyes_

Morningpaw _pale gray she-cat with yellow eyes_

Queens: Dewcloud _gray she-cat with blue eyes_

Kits: Brightkit _cream tabby she-kit with yellow eyes_

* * *

RiverClan

Leader: Mossystar _brown and white she-cat with amber eyes_

Deputy: Troutstream _pale gray tabby she-cat with green eyes_

Apprentice: Mousepaw

Medicine Cat: Ripplefur _light gray tom with brown eyes_

Apprentice: Bluepaw

Warriors: Rockstorm _black and dark gray ticked tabby tom with white markings on his forehead and amber eyes_

Runningpool _black and white tom with amber eyes_

Apprentice: Heronpaw

Badgertongue _black she-cat with white stripes along her spine, flanks, and tail, spirals on her face, solid paws, and yellow eyes_

Rainwater _dark gray and white tom with blue eyes_

Sandpath _ginger and white tabby she-cat with yellow eyes_

Apprentices: Mousepaw _brown and white she-cat with yellow eyes_

Heronpaw _brown tabby tom with yellow eyes_

Bluepaw _dappled, dark blue-gray she-cat with silver spots and pale, crystalline, ice-blue eyes_

Queens: Curlwhisker _brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes_

Kits: Oceankit _dark gray tabby tom with blue eyes_

Wavekit _dark gray and white she-cat with blue eyes_

Branchkit _brown tabby tom with blue eyes_

* * *

A shadowy figure sat alone in a clearing, silhouetted by the full moon. Mist wreathed around him as he sat with his head bowed, eyes shut, either meditating or sleeping. Or was he waiting? But then for who? Or what?

Pawsteps sounded through the silence—rustling leaves from the right, a snapping branch to the left. The figure snapped to attention, sharp gaze searching the surrounding terrain. He picked out one, two, three, four pairs of eyes flashing back out of the darkness before he breathed a sigh of relief. They'd all come.

"You are here," he murmured. Then, flicking his tail at the space in front of him, he ordered, "Sit here so I can see you."

The four cats slipped from the slimy-looking trunks to form a ragged semi-circle around the tom. He gazed in each of their faces before nodding, satisfied. "One from each Clan. Perfect." For the first time in moons, a wry smile split his muzzle. "Then my plan can proceed without hindrance."

He stood, tail twitching from side to side, and began pacing back and forth, staring at the four cats before him. "Or can it?" he murmured. He paused before one of the cats on the end of the line, shoving his face aggressively into theirs. "Will you go running to the leaders and tell them of our plot to bring them down?"

The cat shrank back, pupils dilated in fear. "N-no," she whimpered.

The tom glared into her eyes. "You'd better put up a good show," he growled. "Cinderstar won't be fooled easily."

The she-cat nodded vigorously, her tail flicking nervously behind her. The tom moved on to the next cat.

"Will you go running to Sootstar?" he spat at the next cat. She also shook her head, but unlike the first she-cat stayed quiet. The tom moved on, apparently satisfied.

"How about you?" he growled at the third cat, the only other tom present.

"Rainstar won't even see it coming," he growled viciously.

The leader smirked. "Good," he whispered, passing on to the last cat. "Will you go to Mossystar?"

The she-cat sat tall, unlike the tom, who hunched over in his anger, and the still-cowering she-cats. "No," she meowed firmly. "I won't."

The tom padded back to his original position. "I will hold you to your word," he said in a threatening tone, showing a few of his long teeth, which shone white like ice in the moonlight. "If not, I can promise a painful death to any who cross me. I have killed before and have no problem doing it again." He grinned, a malicious thing full of jealous hate. "I will unseat those _leaders_ who try to take from me all that I had while alive."

The four cats in front of him sat still as the Gathering Island. Each was scared to move in case the tom took their shifting paws as a sign that they would betray him later. Finally, after a stretched, uncomfortable silence, the tom spoke again.

"We will meet again in dreams to train. Oh, and if you try to run from me," he added as the cats before him stood to leave, "I will find you. All cats have to sleep. And when you do, you will feel pain as you have never done before."


	2. The First Snowfall

**This chapter's title is unintentionally similar to my username.**

 **Just as an overall note, the Dark Forest will not be prominent in this book. I think it's been done time and again (and again and again) both in canon and fanfictions. It's just that the Dark Forest was a convenient place for cats to gather to discuss their evil plans to take down the Clans (ha I rhymed :P ). There actually won't be any battle training going on there. Again, it's just a good spot for these cats to meet during their dreams. I'm sorry I had to add it in, but I promise, after the prologue, it'll be like it's not even there. Okay? :)**

 **Also, I'm leaving for my two-week camp tomorrow. This might or might not be the last update for awhile. As it's a writing camp, I could probably manage to write a couple chapters and post them. There might be a decrease in the amount of chapters. There might be no change. There might be an increase (actually an increase is pretty unlikely but oh well, I'll put it here just because). I honestly don't know. We'll just have to wait and see what happens, I guess.**

 **ShadowHawk540: YAY indeed! ^^ Yeah, it is a little sad, though. This is the last time I'll write a book about Sootstar, Cinderstar, and Rainstar. ;-;**

 **RANDOM PERSON: I'm so excited too! :D I hope you're as excited for this chapter!**

 **QLKwriter: I'm glad you love the start! :) And those are good theories, but I'm afraid I'm trying to keep what happened in the prologue rather mysterious, so I'm not going to be able to give you anything else about them. So... moving on to: how's this for updating soon? Was it soon enough? :)**

 **walkswithwheels: I promise I won't make this story cliche. I have at least one major twist in the plot, one that I'm hoping will be completely unexpected but when the readers think back they'll be like, "Oh yeah, that actually kind of does make sense." And, again, the DF will most certainly not appear again unless it's absolutely necessary. It really has been done way too many times. Sorry I can't give more away, I want it to be a surprise. :S Also, my personal format for allegiances is ** Title, **Rank** , Cat's Name, _Description_. **It keeps it separate for me visually (I'm a very visual person) and it's just easy because I've been doing it for so long. I'm sorry you have a hard time reading it. :( I hadn't noticed that the formatting had been changed in the previous books. And I will try to get in a chapter with RiverClan's POV. I think it would be interesting. I'll just have to think about where to put it in.**

 **sunstrike: I'm glad you're getting an account! :) The message probably means that you entered in your password wrong. Try entering it again, and if that doesn't work, try resetting your password. There should be a message saying, "Forgot your password?" or something like that. If you click on that you can send yourself an email and reset your password. Make sure it's spelled correctly! The worst thing ever is to misspell your password when setting up an account. :( Hope this helps!**

 **Shadows of Weeping Wolves: Now you can keep reading! :D I also hope this book will be as good as the others. I already have two - three plot points I'm hoping to incorporate. The first will be introduced this chapter. :) And I do remember that I advised you not to add in the DF. You and a few other people told me that the Dark Forest was cliche and I hope my explanation was sufficient. I kind of don't want to retype it here (or even lazily copy and paste :P ) Anyway, enjoy Chapter Number One! :)**

 **ilovewarriorcats: All right, here goes. First off, never feel bad about ranting to me. I am a class A when it comes to rants. Almost every week my best friend has something to rant about to me and I listen. And when she's done I give advice. So I'll do the same to you. Second, I was blown away by how amazingly similar we sound. I'm also from a well-off family, have never had a really serious injury, and the only family members who have died are my great-grandparents and my cats (that was really sad ;-; ). Sure, I'm 3 years older, but I kept a journal when I was 12 so I can revisit my life then. In one entry, I wrote about how I wanted to bring my life away from the computer and in the free time I'd then have, I could start making money. But I didn't know how. I was only 12, who would hire me? Later on (I was actually 13 at this point) I decided I wanted to change the world through writing to make it better for animals. Third, I think that rule about having to be 13 is a new one. I got my account when I was 12 and wrote The Lost Snow (story still up on my story tab because I finished it). Fourth, yeah, the brownie story does make you sound like a spoiled rich kid. :P Sorry but it's true. Maybe to stop stuff like that in the future you can think about whether or not you really need this, and would you buy it with your own money, and would it be good for you. Fifth, to get better in math you might want to ask one of your friends or family members even for help. They know you best and can explain it to you best. Whenever I don't understand something, I go to my mom who majored in engineering in college. She always helps me understand. You said your brother was good at math? If he's anything like my brother he'd be happy to show off a little and do your homework for/with you (my brother's also a math nerd, he probably will follow in my mom's footsteps and become an engineer). However aggravating he might be, you might have to ask for his help. Sixth, I try to pay people back by doing chores around the house and always telling my family I love them and as of recently, drawing then pictures for Mother's and Father's Day (speaking of which, I have to draw something for my dad still). I try to spend time with them and I must certainly always say thank you. It might not sound like much but it certainly feels like enough, especially when my parents go into the kitchen late, tired after a long day, expecting to find a heap of dirty dishes in the sink, only to find every single one in the dishwasher. Same with laundry. After many times asking how over and over again, I actually know how to do my family's laundry. You could maybe write a card to your cousin telling him that you're thinking of him and that he'll do fine, stuff like that. You could also include a drawing or a poem or something, whatever you're best at. I'm sure it will make him feel better. Seventh, just tell your family about her. Don't be nervous or anything. Just do it. Tell them she send nice and call her that evening apologizing for not calling her before. If your parents are like my dad they'll be excited that their introverted, shy (are you either of these?) girl is making new friends. Wow, this was a long reply! I'm glad you got a chance to rant, even if it's only over the internet. It really helps get stress out of your system. Good luck with... life at the moment!**

 **Leopardstar2002: I do have plans for one Clan in particular to come to the lake! (from popular demand of readers :P ) Guess who it is?**

 **Nightfeather: Here it is! :D Yeah, the title as well as the existence of a third book says pretty plainly that the peace ain't gonna last. :P**

 **EradrinSkyleaf: No, don't cry! Here, have a chapter! XD My camp is called RYM and it's in Maryland. It's pretty far away but it sounds like it'll be really fun! ^^**

 **The Guardian of the Sky: One moon... or a bunch more. :P I'm not even sure myself. But Leafbare's beginning so it's been about a season!**

 **Willowdream of ForestClan: Ah, but Mossystar is proud, so maybe she could cause trouble anyway? XD But yeah, you're right, an outside source is more likely. And I sure hope my summer will be fun! ^^ I just might not have as much time to write as I'd like. :(**

* * *

 **Sootstar's POV**

 _Crunch._

I glanced down in surprise, picking up my now-white-dusted paw. Quickly casting my gaze around the stone hollow, I realized the first snowfall of the year must have fallen last night.

Several sets of paw prints tracked across the clearing. The dawn patrol must have already left. I smiled to myself as I carefully descended the Rockfall. Rustpelt, though young for his position as deputy, was always on top of his duties. It took a massive load off my shoulders.

My stomach growled. I sighed—my stomach was always growling, it seemed. It was my first time having to ration food; back in the peaceful forest, there was plenty of prey even in Leafbare. It was one perk of having your own territory.

But the hunting patrols had been successful yesterday. Maybe there was something extra I could share with Dawnshine before I headed out on a hunting patrol. I padded over to the fresh-kill pile, or at least where I knew it must be, hidden under the thick layer of powdery snow.

As I crossed the clearing, Snowclaw nosed his way out of the warriors' den and began digging in the snow. By the time I arrived at the pile, he had already made a sizeable hole. I glanced down at his large paws as he pulled out a frozen mouse.

"I'm glad to have you in the Clan," I meowed bluntly.

Snowclaw glanced up, his amber eyes startled. "How come?" he asked.

"Well, you're really useful in the middle of Leafbare," I reasoned. "You have white fur to blend in with the snow, a thick pelt to block out the wind, and those huge paws to dig in the snow."

Snowclaw glanced down, embarrassed. "Yeah, I guess," he muttered. He reached down again to tug a second piece of prey out from under the icy covering of snow.

"When did you last go on a hunting patrol?" I pressed.

"Um…" Snowclaw's eyes narrowed in concentration as he thought back. "The day before yesterday, I think. Why?"

I stared around for Rustpelt, even peering past Snowclaw into the dark warriors' den, but couldn't find him. He must be out on the dawn patrol. "How would you like to go on a hunting patrol with me later?" I asked. "I'm told the first snowfall of the season is always a tough time for finding prey."

Snowclaw dipped his head. "Sure, Sootstar. I'd be honored—"

"Sootstar!"

My ears swiveled around to face the entrance, my nose heartbeats behind. The dawn patrol had returned, and sure enough, Rustpelt bounded in the lead, snow dusting his fur up to his belly. Behind him padded Streamfrost, Tortoiseheart, and Robinchest. "Rustpelt," I greeted my deputy. "What is it?"

Rustpelt's eyebrows were creased in anxiousness. Immediately, my mind jumped to conclusions. NightClan had returned, stronger than ever. A Clanmate was lying in the woods, injured due to a falling branch. Rogues had decided to move into our territory.

"We need to talk," he murmured with half a glance at Snowclaw

I glanced over at the large tom and meowed, "Hey, Snowclaw, have Amberwing and her kits had something to eat yet? I bet they're hungry."

Snowclaw, thankfully, took the hint. Dipping his head respectfully again, he trotted off toward the nursery with a frosty blackbird clamped between his jaws. I looked back at Rustpelt, concern clouding my mind once again.

"Sootstar," Rustpelt began, looking deadly serious, "I think something's wrong out in the forest. I know we weren't a hunting patrol, but… well…" he scuffed a paw against the ground in embarrassment. "I thought it might be good if we returned with a mouse or two, you know."

I nodded, urging Rustpelt to continue. Rustpelt looked relieved that I didn't mind and began talking normally again. "But we couldn't find anything. Not a sniff of prey anywhere. I couldn't understand it. I mean, sure it's Leafbare and all, and sure it's all snowy so the prey would be in their burrows, but honestly, shouldn't at least one mouse be out trying to find food?"

Again, I nodded, only this time it was contemplative. "But why would the prey suddenly be gone?" I asked almost to myself. "They were out yesterday and they can't all have died of cold. Could they?" I kicked at the snow. Was it possible that it was colder here at the lake than in the forest? I'd only experienced one Leafbare, so I couldn't tell whether this one was worse than the others.

Still, Rustpelt's patrol had been a border patrol, so they probably weren't looking too hard for prey. "We probably shouldn't worry yet," I meowed. "Let's send out a few patrols and then we'll see."

Rustpelt nodded and took a few steps toward the warriors' den. I quickly swept my tail in front of his chest, making him pause. "I want to lead a patrol," I informed him. "I'll take Snowclaw and two others with me. And make sure Iceheart is on the other patrol. Every cat with white fur needs to hunt at some point today to make sure we have enough to go around."

The deputy nodded again and I withdrew my tail, letting him head for the den. I stayed put as I heard him call out to several cats. My stomach rumbled again, but this time I ignored it. There was a reason I had nine lives, and it wasn't so that I could eat all my Clan's prey.

I padded over to the nursery to tell Snowclaw about the hunting patrols. As I poked my head through the entrance, I was almost poked in the eye by a flying ginger paw.

"Birchkit!" came a scolding voice from within. "Be more careful! You almost blinded your own leader!"

I snorted, though softly enough so Birchkit wouldn't hear. I doubted whether a kit paw would do enough damage to permanently blind me in one eye, let alone both. Still, I approached the nursery entrance again with more caution than before.

It was warm in the den. As I pulled myself through the thorny outer wall, I felt the lumps of snow in my fur begin to melt. I sighed in the sudden comfort, wiggling my toes, relishing how quickly the numbness receded.

Snowclaw sat in one corner, a ball of tightly packed moss held delicately on one claw. He held it out, dangling it over the heads of three kits, laughing as they jumped for it, missing it by a pawstep. Amberwing curled in her nest, looking tired but still keeping one sharp eye on her kits.

"Sootstar," Snowclaw greeted me, tossing the mossball across the den for Birchkit, Sunkit, and Maplekit to chase. "Is it time for our hunting patrol?"

"Yes," I replied. "Rustpelt's recruiting two other cats to join us right now."

Snowclaw stood up, rubbing his nose against Amberwing's cheek as he padded toward me. "All right, let's go," he meowed, slipping past me out of the den. I cast one last glance back at Amberwing, a hollow forming in the pit of my stomach. Snowclaw was so lucky to have his sister with him in ThunderClan. I missed my own littermates more than I thought I ever could.

It was different, somehow, having Cinderstar and Rainstar in different Clans. When they'd been gone on their quests, I missed them but always knew they'd come back someday. Now, however, it was more that they were just out of reach, so close yet so far. And I couldn't even mindspeak with them anymore.

Snowclaw was waiting in the clearing with Breezelark. Standing a little apart from them were Molewhisker, Iceheart, and Dawnshine. I smiled at my mate as I padded over to stand with Snowclaw and Breezelark. Her eyes went wide when she saw me. She seemed to be trying to tell me something. But for the life of me, I couldn't figure it out.

"I'm sorry I could only find one more cat for your patrol." Rustpelt bounded over from the warriors' den, his face a mask of anxiety. "It's just we had only five warriors left who hadn't already been out on patrol and it'd really be best if they were split up into two patrols of three each, including you."

"It's fine," I said breezily. I beckoned to my patrol and started for the entrance. As I passed Rustpelt, I meowed in an undertone, "And stop worrying so much. I know it's stressful, what with Leafbare here and prey not as plentiful, but honestly, you're doing fine."

Rustpelt flashed me a grin. "I'll guard the camp while you're gone," he promised.

I was almost at the entrance when another call came from behind me. "Sootstar!"

It was Dawnshine. I slowed, letting her catch up to me. "What's up?" I asked, and despite what I'd just told Rustpelt, I couldn't help but feel a little nervous.

But Dawnshine just glanced ahead, to where my patrol was waiting, and muttered, "I'll tell you later. Good hunting." She rasped her tongue quickly over my ear and slowed to let the rest of her patrol catch up to her.

"Good hunting," I meowed, and even I could tell that my voice was rather hesitant. What was so important that Dawnshine had tried to tell me about it earlier, but not so important it couldn't wait for later? Why couldn't she just tell me now? Why keep me in the dark?

Why were she-cats so confusing?

I shook my head, bounding to the head of my patrol. Whatever it was, if Dawnshine was willing to wait, so was I. I had a job to do. I had to feed my Clan.

* * *

The sun had started to set before I finally decided to head back to camp. Everyone was hungry and the forest seemed devoid of prey. I was seriously starting to get worried—ever since I'd reformed ThunderClan, we'd never had this little prey from a hunting patrol. I seriously hoped the other hunting patrol had caught more than we had.

I went through the thorn barrier first, my jaws devoid of prey. I felt shame start welling beneath my pelt—I couldn't even catch one measly shrew. Then I realized no one was in the clearing to see my humiliation. Not even the kits played in the snow outside the nursery, though judging by the myriad pawprints around the entrance, they had been scuffling around earlier. Probably now they were getting warm in their nest with Amberwing.

Snowclaw appeared next, carrying a slightly plump vole, its fat left over from Leaffall. I missed those days of plentiful, nourishing prey almost as much as I missed my littermates, though I could just be nostalgic because of the hunger pangs currently gripping my stomach like a NightClan warrior's claws. I waited for Breezelark to enter the clearing, her teeth clamped around a sparrow she'd barely grabbed with the tips of her claws as it tried desperately to escape to a high tree branch. Then I followed my warriors to where the fresh-kill pile lay at the opposite side of camp.

Or to where it used to be. Already the pile was devoid of prey. I stared morosely at the empty patch of snowless earth, almost too swamped by sudden sadness to notice a voice calling my name.

Goldenwing bounded out of the medicine den to stand in front of me, breaking my line of vision and shattering the funk I'd fallen into. "Stop staring at the ground like it just swallowed up your sister," she grumbled. "The fresh-kill pile was moved into the medicine den to keep it from freezing. I don't know about you but I don't want to break my teeth on frozen food."

I blinked. "Oh, okay." At once I felt rather stupid. Of course we couldn't have eaten _all_ the fresh-kill. ThunderClan wasn't big enough to have finished it off.

I started toward the medicine den alongside Snowclaw and Breezelark, but before I'd taken three steps, Dawnshine had bounded over to me, stopping directly in my path. "We need to talk, Sootstar."

Oh, right. In the mess of the unsuccessful hunt I'd almost completely forgotten about that thing she couldn't tell me this morning. "Oh, okay," I replied, sounding vaguely stupefied. I shook my head to clear it and followed Dawnshine as she led the way up the Rockfall to the leader's den. There, she turned to face me. I sensed something huge coming and steeled myself for the worst.

"I'm expecting kits."

What?

Dawnshine gazed at me eagerly. When my expression didn't change, her face fell. "You don't want kits?" she asked, sounding to be on the verge of tears.

"No! I mean yes! I mean—" I stammered to a halt, took a deep breath, and started over. "I do want kits, Dawnshine," I murmured, moving closer and pressing my cheek against hers. "I'm sorry. I'm truly happy for you—for us. I was just shocked, is all."

Dawnshine smiled tentatively. "You're sure?"

"I'm sure," I echoed.

We stood there in silence for a little while, the cave darkening around us. One thought seemed to bounce around inside my head, circling and circling and circling around.

 _I'm going to be a father. I'm going to be a father!_

* * *

 **He's going to be a father! He's going to be a father!**

 **QOTD: How do you think Sootstar will react to being a father? Will he be good to his kits or will he be not as great like Ashthorn?**


	3. The Hunter and the Prey

**Camp is amazingly awesome. I get freewrite time every day and I'm experiencing something a lot like college. But honestly I'm thinking about trying coffee, which I've never done before, because I'm just so tired. Yeah, 7.5 to 8 hours of sleep apparently isn't enough for me.**

 **So my updating schedule will probably stay the same or get slightly less frequent. I do have freewrite time but I might have to use that to write poems for my poetry workshop if I feel like reading in the evenings instead of writing. I have been working on this chapter since the first freewrite, Monday, though I couldn't work on it yesterday due to a meeting with my instructor, so it apparently takes 3-4 freewrites to complete a chapter. And I probably can't write on weekends because those will be busy. So next update should be... Tuesday or Thursday? I can't post Wednesday because I'm taking a day trip to a nearby town. Okay?**

 **ShadowHawk540: Ah, but if I put his kits at the end, then I couldn't make it a plot point. ;) Kits at the beginning definitely make the story more interesting, I think.**

 **QLKwriter: Depressing theories make a story interesting, though. :P As sad as that might sound... And I guess the cats are just comfortable with Sootstar as a leader because he's been leading them since he was an apprentice.**

 **Leopardstar2002: (You're right :P ) Sootstar will definitely try his best to be a good father. :)**

 **Willowdream of ForestClan: Neither can I! :) They'll be so sweet!**

 **walkswithwheels: My counselor told me that campers had been picked for the raw talent and passion they showed for their writing through the exerpts they sent in. Real confidence boost right there. :) I'll have to check out that story! Though maybe after camp. I'm busy enough as it is. I might actually put in Sol or a descendant of his, but probably not Scourge. Scourge just wouldn't fit. He's too much like Nightstar. I really took your observation about the slow start to heart and hopefully made this chapter much better! I tried to put in as much action as I could without overdoing it, and as it's Cinderstar's POV, I felt like I could exaggerate the action a little. :) **

**ilovewarriorcats: I'm so sorry I made you cry! ;-; I really didn't mean to, I thought you'd sort of accepted that as true and were working to change it so it wouldn't affect you as much as it did. So sorry! But it really does sound like you're doing much better than you were before. It really can feel good and give you a smile to know you're helping out your family. And even though it'll be boring, I'm glad you can take an online class to help you in math. And those get well messages sound terrible! o_o I should start a page of ACTUAL get well messages, not like the stuff you found. But about your maybe-friend, that still sounds a little odd. What exactly are you scared of? What are you embarrassed about? I actually sometimes feel the same way, but I've found that the best way to get over it is to just do it, whatever your mind and heart and everything else might be telling you. It's exactly the same way I felt about telling my parents I wanted to join our church. It shouldn't be hard, but it was. Last Easter I just sort of said, "Yeah, I'll go to church today," and my parents didn't make that much of a fuss. I could tell that they were proud and pleased but they never really said it to me plainly in words. Does that make any sort of sense to you?**

 **Shadows of Weeping Wolves:** **Here's some more for you! :D** **And yeah, Sootstar will certainly be a good father, but he still might take after Ashthorn a little.**

 **The Guardian of the Sky: Yeah, it _is_ Sootstar. :) The most mature and level-headed and all that. I do think he'll make the best father out of the three.**

* * *

 **Cinderstar's POV**

"What do you mean, there's no prey?" I spat.

Vixentail ducked her head, cowing in the face of my anger. "The hunting patrols found next to nothing in the forest. I'm sorry, Cinderstar." She stared up at me with a rather fearful expression.

I paced back and forth in my den, tail twitching in irritation. Through my frustration, I heard Sparrowtalon comfort Vixentail. "It's okay, she's not mad at you," he meowed softly. "She's mad at herself."

I shot both of them a deathly glare, but couldn't contradict Sparrowtalon. He was right, after all.

"Perhaps you'd better go," the deputy muttered, and with a quick, respectful dip of her head, Vixentail complied, scooting backwards out of the den.

"What's up with this?" I burst out the moment her orange tail had vanished through the entrance. "I've never known prey to just vanish before!"

"It's common in Leafbare for prey to be more scarce," Sparrowtalon meowed, looking slightly concerned. "You _have_ experienced Leafbare before, haven't you?"

I nodded impatiently. "Yes, of course I have. But that was back in the peace forest, where prey was plentiful whether it be Leafbare or Greenleaf."

"In the Clans, prey becomes much scarcer in Leafbare," Sparrowtalon explained patiently, almost as though to a kit. For a heartbeat, I reconsidered naming him my deputy. If he was going to treat me like I was three moons old, then he could say goodbye to his position! But then I reflected back on the past few moons. He really had given me good advice, and as the most experienced warrior in the Clan, he was the obvious choice for deputyship.

"Is it normal to have _this_ little prey, though?" I challenged. "Some of us might have to go to sleep on an empty stomach. And as leader, I probably will be one of the last to be fed! I really don't want to take prey from Brightkit, but honestly, I don't want to starve to death!"

"You won't starve, Cinderstar. It takes many sunrises of no food to starve." He hesitated a moment. "But it _is_ rather uncommon to have quite this little prey. Perhaps it's just because it's the first snowfall of the year, so the prey is hiding deep in their holes. They'll still need food, though, so we should be able to catch more in a few days."

"In a few days some of us might have starved," I pointed out. "Or we'd be too hungry and weak to hunt properly and just scare all the prey away."

Sparrowtalon blew out a long breath. "I don't think we should jump to conclusions just yet," he meowed calmly. "We can't predict the future. How do we know what the prey will do?" He glanced out into the clearing. I followed his gaze and saw most of the Clan gathered around the meager fresh-kill pile. Foxtooth was attempting to pull frozen prey apart with his claws, giving out equal portions to each cat.

"How about we send out a night patrol?" I suggested. "We can hunt then. If we still can't find anything, we can send messengers to ThunderClan and WindClan. And RiverClan. We can see if they're having the same prob-"

Sparrowtalon cut me off before I'd even finished. "No."

"But-" I tried again hotly.

Sparrowtalon shook his head. " _No_. Cinderstar, I know you must be worried about your brothers, but we have to let them deal with their problems by can get through this, so can we." Then, seeing my murderous expression, added, "But the nighttime patrol is a good idea. We can see if nocturnal prey is easier to hunt."

I grinned. "Perfect. I'll lead, you pick the rest of the cats."

I strode out into the clearing toward the fresh-kill pile. If I was going hunting, I surely deserved some prey. I'd bring some back for the Clan, after all.

* * *

The moon had just cleared the horizon when we set out, me leading the way into the silent, shadowy pine trees. Behind me padded Frozenwhisker, Mistheart, and my apprentice, Morningpaw. I was happy with the patrol-Sparrowtalon had chosen the cats based on their pelt colorings, hoping that more gray-colored cats would blend in with the nighttime snow.

I slunk through the trees, pausing behind trunks, letting myself move with the shadows. Though I had never been too good at stalking, my time as leader of ShadowClan had taught me a few basic tricks to not being seen. Rule one: never stand up.

Twitching my tail from side to side, I let the patrol know to split up and search on their own for prey. I heard two sets of soft pawsteps crunching off through the hard surface of the slightly icy snow, but Morningpaw crept up behind me. I nodded to her and padded on ahead. She could stay with me. She was my apprentice, after all.

I cast my nose around, making exaggerated but silent sniffing gestures. Morningpaw grinned and began casting around with her nose, searching for any sign of prey. I did the same and together we moved forward, away from the camp.

For the longest time, we couldn't find a thing. Apparently, prey is best found during the day. By the time the moon was almost at Moonhigh, I'd just about given up when something caught my eye. Morningpaw was signalling wildly with her tail, waving it in a wide semicircle, though keeping it close to the snow so as not to alert the prey. I crept forward, wincing every time my paws crunched through the solidifying icy top of the snow, gazing around for any source of movement other than my apprentice.

What was that?

Was it even prey?

It looked like a battle opponent.

I stared at the creature. It had a white face and a dark gray body, a long, hairless, pink tail, and a pointed nose. It was turned away, foraging near the roots of a tree, digging in the snow with small, clawed paws. Maybe it was looking for bugs.

Morningpaw gave a look that read, _What is that thing?_ I shrugged in reply. Maybe food? I crept forward, using the creature's digging as cover for my own crunching steps. I wasn't sure I'd be able to take it, but I could at least try. Even though it was kind of sort of as big as me.

I stopped, rocking on my haunches. If this really was food, it would feed half the Clan. Sure, the Clan was rather small, but feeding half of it would still be an admirable feat in this weather.

In a heartbeat, I was soaring through the air. My claws extended mid-leap, my jaws parting in a silent, triumphant yowl. I knew if I made any sound, I'd scare off any other prey in this area. But that suddenly became much less of a concern when I landed on the furry creature.

It howled loud enough to wake every Clan around the lake, rolling over on top of me, pushing me into the snow, and wriggling with all its might to get free. Whatever this thing was, it _really_ didn't want to be caught.

I struggled to hold on, claws digging deep into its flesh, teeth gritted with the effort of keeping my limbs still. There was no way I was going to let this thing get away. After that yowl, I'd find nothing else out in the forest tonight, or even maybe tomorrow. I couldn't let my Clan starve.

But it was slowly wiggling out of my grip. Tensing my muscles, I tried to roll over and pin it down, but it was too heavy. Honestly, the thing was as big as I was! But just when I thought all hope was lost and my prey was going to get away after all, I saw a flash of light gray paws and the creature let loose a scream that surely rattled the stars above, leaving my ears ringing painfully.

It was all worth it, though, when it went limp, collapsing onto my body. I scooted out from underneath to see Morningpaw shaking her scarlet-drenched claws onto the ash-gray snow. The furry creature lay on the ground, eyes half-closed in death, its belly ripped open, blood drenching the icy snow, warm enough to temporarily melt the snow.

"Great catch, Morningpaw," I congratulated my apprentice.

She grinned, scuffing her paws on the ground in embarrassment at the praise. "It was mainly you," she muttered. "I just finished it."

" _Just_ ," I scoffed. "You did amazing. But I guess there won't be any other prey in this area after those howls, so we should get this back to camp and get some sleep."

Morningpaw nodded and, gripping the creature's scruff, tried to heave it across the snow back the way we'd come. It didn't move. I padded around and picked up its haunches. Together we lugged our prey toward the camp.

Frozenwhisker and Mistheart had returned by the time we made it through the camp entrance. Frozenwhisker had turned up empty-pawed, but Mistheart had managed to catch a small mouse. Both stared in amazement as we passed, heading slowly toward the fresh-kill pile.

"Cinderstar? What is that?" I glanced around to see Twigpaw standing nearby, head cocked to one side as he stared at the creature.

"I believe it's called a possum," Sparrowtalon meowed, padding up behind his apprentice. "We used to eat them as kits sometimes, remember, Mistheart?"

Mistheart nodded. "It tasted strange, but it was still food."

I grinned at Morningpaw. "Looks like it _is_ fresh-kill. Congrats on catching it."

" _You_ caught _that?_ " Twigpaw looked impressed. I left Morningpaw explaining that it hadn't been her, it had really been Cinderstar, and dragged the possum to the center of the clearing.

"Night hunting is a success," I informed the Clan at large. "We really need to do it more often, using our skills as ShadowClan cats to the utmost."

The Clan began nodding, smiles forming on their faces. A few even began murmuring to each other, but they broke off when a loud screech rent the air.

A massive owl swooped down from the sky. For a moment, I thought it was heading for the fresh-kill pile and I reared up on my hind legs, determined to defend our prey, but it passed over my head, soaring straight for the nursery.

I whipped around. In a heartbeat I comprehended that Brightkit must have been woken by all the excitement and come running out of the safety of her den. Spotting her cream pelt amongst the legs of my Clanmates, I flung myself forward, diving to cover her with my body.

I made it just in time. Screeching again, the huge owl sank its talons not into Brightkit's head, but instead into my shoulders. I yowled in agony, but the owl wasn't finished yet. Apparently it'd rather have me than nothing, for it lifted me into the air with ease, beating its massive wings.

My imagination got so caught up with imagining how it would feel to die nine times inside an owl's stomach I forgot to fight back. It was only due to an orange blur that I wasn't carried away by that owl.

Foxtooth, with a screech to match the owl's, lunged upward to sink its claws into the owl's legs. It cried out and tried to shake him off, but he clung on, hissing and spitting whenever it jerked back and forth.

"Foxtooth," I gasped. "You have to let go. Stop acting the hero."

"I won't let it take you," he growled, his every muscle clenched with the effort of holding on.

The owl swayed as Foxtooth began climbing up its legs, reaching for its neck. I glanced downward and saw the ground, but it was so far away. "You can't kill the owl," I panted. "We'll die anyway."

But Foxtooth had already sliced his claws against the bird's neck, dripping blood down onto my head. I felt us begin to fall, almost as though the ground were pulling us toward it. I shut my eyes, a scream tearing itself from my lungs as we began to fall.

The owl's wings snapped back, lending us no way to prevent our free-fall as we tumbled through the air. I opened my eyes again, squinting through the rushing air at the ground speeding up toward us.

One of us wouldn't survive. But one of us could come back.

I wrapped my limbs around Foxtooth's body, squeezing my eyes shut once more. At least he could survive.

We hit the ground. excruciating pain lanced through me and I let out a yowl, abruptly cut off as darkness filled my vision like a clump of dirt thrown into the lake, blotting out the moon and stars and feeling of frigid snow on my fur.

* * *

 _I woke with mist swirling around me. Blinking, I slowly turned around._

 _In front of me was a shimmering pool of water-the Moonpool. Around it sat nine cats. Cloudwisp. Rushstar. Blackstar. Breezepelt. Fallingwhisper. Heathertail. Pantherkit. Lilyheart. Ashthorn. As I watched, Cloudwisp stood and padded away, vanishing into the surrounding mist. As she disappeared, a hazy gray shape seemed to take her place. I squinted at it. Who was that?_

" _Your first life has come to walk in StarClan," Ashthorn murmured. "Cloudwisp gave you a life for selflessness and you used it to save the life of a Clanmate." He padded forward, resting his muzzle on my head. "May your selflessness never die, my precious daughter."_

* * *

 **When I get home I'll try to draw the scene where Cinderstar and Foxtooth are falling. I think it'd be really sweet and dramatic if I can get the anatomy correct (and maybe make my heads less round...)**

 **AOTD: I think he'll be clueless because he doesn't know the first thing about how fathers should act. He's never really had a model, after all.**

 **QOTD: Do you have a set time you usually write?**

 **One more A/N for now. I'm going to open up OCs for Sootstar's and Dawnshine's kits. There'll be three of them, two she-kits and one tom.**

 **Anyone is open to submit, but be warned: if you've already submitted an OC I'll be less likely to pick yours, especially if they played a major or semi-major role. If they're less well-known I might still pick your kit. Also, I posted Sootstar's and Dawnshine's appearances in the Allegiances and will try to stick as much as I can to their kits looking like them or their parents. Remember, Sootstar is descended from Lightwing and Ashthorn, and before them Breezepelt and Heathertail. Dawnshine's parents are Dovewing and Bumblestripe. (Also, I won't pick any kits with red eyes or a pink tail! Relative realism, please! ^^)**


	4. Battle Training

**I'm so sorry for lack of quality. I didn't write all last week pretty much because I was so busy with camp, and then I got home and there was a wedding and I was sleeping in so late because I was so tired and I had no motivation for this chapter and yeah. So, again, sorry. :(**

 **Shadows Of Weeping Wolves: I'll definitely try to make time to draw that scene! And for the OCs it's currently a battle between Wolfkit and another OC Shadekit. I'll put in a message about that at the end of the chapter.**

 **Firestream of Ice: Am I right that this is your first time reviewing? Thank you so much for reviewing! :) I'm so sorry, but I'm not sure I'll be able to put in your OCs, though. None of them take after either Sootstar or Dawnshine in coloration, and I specifically requested that they should. Again, so sorry!**

 **walkswithwheels: I sent in a couple excerpts from some writing I did, including part of the poem currently up on my bio (I might take that down, though, and replace it with a poem I wrote while at camp). I think a slow start for me isn't that good because I've had a hard time starting this third book. It's tough to write when no plot happens, though I will put in a bunch of plot next chapter. And I intended that Cinderstar would save Foxtooth's life by cushioning his impact. Sure, he'll have several broken bones and all, but at least he'll still be alive. And I thought I'd do something a little different than canon, with each cat leaving (but not disappearing forever!) the circle of who gave them their lives as each life was lost. And since I already asked for OCs and no one put forward an albino kit, I probably won't use one in Sootstar's litter, but there will be other litters. I'll make sure to still use an albino kit.**

 **ShadowHawk540: If you don't have a working computer, then how do you read my stories? Do you use a phone or something? ****And for the OCs it's currently a battle between Shadekit and another OC Wolfkit. I'll put in a message about that at the end of the chapter.**

 **QLKwriter: I think Willowkit made it in! :) Congrats! And yes, it certainly is a long line of gray cats. :P I remember when I first got my tablet I thought, "Why are all my characters gray? Why can't they have more interesting markings?" And no, Cinderstar didn't lose her selflessness, don't worry. *dramatic music* It was with her all along.**

 **ilovewarriorcats: I'm SO sorry about your cousin. :'( *cries* I've lived such a sheltered life the most heartbreaking goodbye I had to say was to my cat Figaro in second grade. But it's so... so sad (major want of a better word here) that he was only sixteen. My brother is seventeen and I can't imagine what I'd do if he died. I already know he's got such a bright future in math and science. I got your review while I was at camp and even if I responded to it right away, I wouldn't know what to say. Maybe I should just move on to your previous review. So I think it would be best if Silverkit was moved to Cinderstar's litter. I can't say she'll have kits soon, I can't say she'd even want kits soon, but later on, maybe even in the epilogue, she should have kits of her own. Is that okay? I know I keep putting your OCs in rather obsolete positions, but you were the only one who said you'd be fine with Silverkit being Cinderstar's kit instead. Or, if you want, she could be Rainstar's kit? She'd probably appear in the actual story that way. And if that girl made you feel important, then you should try to hold on to her. It's tough to really feel important to other people. Luckily for me, I found a group of girls who I know will be behind me at camp (it's truly a magical place there), but I know other people aren't as fortunate to have friends with whom they can really feel like they matter. Is there any way that you can talk to her at school or something?**

 **RANDOM PERSON: I agree, Cinderstar was being a real brat there. XD I'm glad you like her again. I'll try to make her less whiny next chapter she appears in (which would probably be next chapter, actually). And yeah, I definitely agree about Firestar. From about the second series until the fourth I really hated him. I much preferred Tigerstar. Firestar was okay as an apprentice but then he just deteriorated from there. And yeah, Badgertongue is Badger. Do you like the name I picked for her? :)**

 **ThiefOfSong: The trick to writing well is to write a lot. Even if it turns out terribly, you can always edit bad writing but you can't edit a blank page or a blank document. If you look through my story page you'll see nine stories, including a bunch of one-shots and four completed books, soon to be five with this one. It's taken me three years to get this far from The Lost Snow to Misty Peace but it's definitely been worth it.**

 **Leopardstar2002: Don't worry, he's still hanging in there! :)**

 **Guest: I think you forgot your "username." And no, I completely agree with your review. It's not offensive if you're criticizing my character, not me. She's definitely going back to her kit-self a little due to the stress of no food. Don't worry, she'll get better as time goes on. :)**

 **WINX CLUB ROCKS: Okay, okay! Here's your update! Sorry it's so bad though. :( Next chapter I'll make better!**

* * *

 **Rainstar's POV**

Of course. Just when I'd gotten used to the taste of rabbits, they had to start disappearing. Sure, Crouchfoot told me it was perfectly normal for the first snowfall of Leafbare, but honestly, the Clan was basically starving!

I paced in the snowy clearing, or at least tried to. In actuality, I ended up awkwardly leaping through the shoulder-high snow, trying in vain to pack it down enough so I could see over it. Instead, I ended up slipping on the now-icelike snow underfoot.

"Smooth," came a amused meow. I spat out a mouthful of cold water and looked up to see Aspensplash standing above me, hazel eyes crinkled with her wide smile.

"You try leading the Clan," I muttered, pushing myself back to my paws and, just to be safe, stepping off the track I'd made and into deeper but less slippery snow.

Aspensplash's cheerful mood vanished like the Leaffall grass under snow. "Is it getting to you again?" she asked softly, padding closer and glancing around to make sure no other cats were nearby.

I nodded, remembering the time in Leaffall when a fox had traveled up from the forest and almost killed Hoppaw. I'd shriveled up into myself, hiding away in my den. Alderleaf had told the Clan I was sick with a bad sore throat and couldn't talk without coughing up blood. He and Aspensplash were the only two in the Clan who knew about my temporary inability to function.

Aspensplash pressed her nose briefly against my cheek. "I'm here for you," she reminded me. "And so is Alderleaf. I know you miss your littermates, but you need to lead your Clan."

"I know, it's just…" I sighed. "It's just so hard sometimes with all this responsibility. The Clan's survival is down to me."

Aspensplash gave me a sympathetic glance. I put my head down, taking a deep breath, trying to pull myself together again. "Was there a particular reason you came to see me?" I asked rather abruptly, suddenly realizing that Aspensplash might not have come just to check on me. She didn't seem to realize I was feeling pressured when she'd first approached me.

"Yeah, actually," Aspensplash meowed, glancing over her shoulder. "Lionpaw's getting a little antsy. I think he wants to go battle train or something."

"Why would he want to do that?" I asked. "We won't go to battle with the other Clans for moons at least!"

"Foxes," she reminded me. "He almost lost his brother."

 _Oh, right._ I silently cursed myself, wondering how I could have forgotten about that. A good leader would probably have remembered. "Right," I muttered, stalking past Aspensplash with my ears back and my head down. "I guess I'll take him out to train then."

"Adderclaw sent out a few hunting patrols," she called after me. "They should be able to catch something."

I remembered how hungry I was. Maybe being reminded about things wasn't such a good idea after all.

"Mmmkay," I called back, not really caring if she heard. I just wanted to get outside and run until my troubles were gone for good. _Or not_ , said the traitorous little voice inside my head. _There's snow, remember? You can't run through something like that._

"Lionpaw!" I called as I reached the apprentices' den.

Almost immediately, my apprentice shot out, his orange tabby fur unkempt and his yellow eyes gleaming. Behind him I saw Honeypaw and Rowanpaw talking quietly, each sitting on their own nest.

"Rowanpaw," I called on a sudden impulse, "would you like to come battle training with us? Honeypaw, you'd be welcome too."

"Sure!" Rowanpaw grinned, sauntering out of the den with his tail in the air. Behind him slunk Honeypaw, her eyes wide like normal, giving her a perpetually scared, wary sort of air. She sat next to and slightly behind her brother, glancing around the camp from beneath his shadow. I sighed to myself—she really should try to get out of her comfort zone from time to time. It wasn't good for her to constantly fear her Clanmates.

"All right, follow me," I meowed, beckoning with my tail before turning and following a path some other cat had made from the apprentices' den to the entrance.

The hills were covered in snow, crisscrossed with trenches where the patrols had walked. I started down one of these trails, hoping it would take me all the way to the battle clearing. But I honestly didn't expect it to.

Sure enough, the path began veering away from the training clearing the closer we drew to it. Finally, I was forced to turn and begin foraging my way through the snow, leaping forward in great surges, creating a new path for the three apprentices to follow.

Finally we made it to the clearing. I paused to catch my breath, sitting heavily in the middle of the clearing. Waving my tail from side to side in an exhausted sort of way, I breathed, "You apprentices… start… packing down… the snow."

Lionpaw and Honeypaw moved off around the edges of the clearing, leaping around to mark out the edges, but Rowanpaw dived right in, heading for me. He circled around me, making the clear spot I sat on wider and wider.

"It's odd, you know?" he asked. I didn't reply. For one thing, I was panting from jumping through the deep snow, and for another, I didn't know what he was talking about. He didn't leave me much time to puzzle over it, though. "You're only, what, a few moons older than me? And I'm still an apprentice while you're a leader."

"Are you asking for your warrior name?" I asked, my voice monotonous, automatic almost.

Rowanpaw drew back. "No," he said hurriedly, "nothing like that. I just thought it was kind of funny, is all." He bounded away, flattening down more snow by bellyflopping his way toward Honeypaw.

I glanced around at Lionpaw. He looked a little lost, sitting up on his hind paws so he could see over the top of the snow. Poor guy, he hadn't even experienced a single Leafbare before and now he was attacked with this monster of starvation and cold. Maybe it would be best to get them started with their exercises and never mind the snow.

"All right, everyone come here!" I called above the wind. Three pairs of eyes turned toward me and three sets of paws leaped across the snowy clearing. "Rowanpaw and Lionpaw, you two practice first. Lionpaw, you're offensive. Rowanpaw, defensive. Lionpaw, work on your dive and roll."

I stepped back to watch them practice. I knew Rowanpaw was much more experienced than Lionpaw—he _was_ almost ready for his warrior name—but I was glad to see he was going easy on Lionpaw, letting him get the moves right before really trying to avoid his attacks.

Honeypaw sat beside me, her breath puffing out in neat little clouds. Everything about her seemed neat and little, to be honest. I sometimes wondered if she would be ready for her warrior name with her brothers.

"I can fight too, you know."

I was so taken aback I nearly fell over. Honeypaw had never spoken to me before. She'd always looked at the ground, maybe nodded or shaken her head a couple times, but she'd never used her voice. Yet here she was, looking me in the face, _talking_ to me. Her voice wasn't even what I'd have expected it to be. It was rather deep for a she-cat, yet still somehow feminine.

Honeypaw blinked at me. "I can fight," she insisted. "Watch."

It was my turn to say nothing as Honeypaw crept over to the toms, crouching low so as not to be seen, only her eyes and ears peeking over the top of the snow. When Rowanpaw's back was turned, she suddenly leaped out on top of him, catching him by surprise and rolling off into the snow, where she proceeded to pummel his belly with sheathed paws and pin him down with ease.

Then Lionpaw leaped on top of her and she shrieked in surprise, rolling off and curling up to protect her soft underside, flattening her ears against her head.

"That's enough!" I called, leaping over a mound of snow. Lionpaw rolled off of Honeypaw, Rowanpaw got to his paws, and Honeypaw opened her eyes to blink up at me. "Honeypaw, that was excellent stalking work, but you need to work on your strength and confidence. Rowanpaw, you were doing well until Honeypaw attacked you. Always be aware of what's going on around you, even if you think you're safe. Lionpaw, that was excellent thinking in attacking Honeypaw to help out Rowanpaw, but you still have a long way to go before you're ready to fight a fox." I grinned around at the apprentices. "But I guess you're all hungry, aren't you?"

Rowanpaw glanced around at the other apprentices. "But we just got out here," he said uncertainly.

"But the sun's going down, look." Lionpaw nodded at the horizon. "I guess we came out too late to do any serious practice," he added sadly.

Honeypaw, back to her normal self again, didn't say anything, but looked at her paws.

I led the way back to camp.

* * *

By the time we got back to camp, everyone was starving. I looked hopefully around at the fresh-kill pile, thinking longingly of plump Leaffall rabbits and hoping the hunting patrols brought back something yummy. But instead, I saw Adderclaw standing beside a tiny pile of four or five rabbits, his shoulders hunched.

I bounded over to him, skidding slightly on a patch of trodden-down snow that may or may not have been my making. "Adderclaw! What's this? Has everyone already eaten?"

I could see his answer in his expression before he sighed heavily and confessed, "No. This is all we have for the entire Clan."

My heart sank. I'd thought this might be the case, but honestly, I'd been hoping that with two or three patrols out we would have caught more than this. But I still had a Clan to lead. So, gritting my teeth, I plastered on a fake smile and poked a paw through the pile. "We have three full-sized rabbits and two younger ones," I counted. "So… let's see, I guess we should send one of these younger ones to split between Alderleaf and the nursery… or, wait, I guess we don't have any queens—"

"What are you talking about?" Adderclaw asked, looking slightly concerned. "Did no one tell you?"

"Tell me what?" I asked, split between excitement and worry. What had happened?

"Lightwing's expecting kits. We have a queen now."

My mind went blank.

What?

Lightwing was going to be a mother again.

Except she was still a mother.

But she'd be a queen.

Was Hyperion the father?

Shaking my head, I pulled myself together yet again. I needed to be strong, I needed to be a leader. "That's… that's great news!" I forced a purr, still unsure of how I felt about it. "Um… yeah, how about Alderleaf shares a younger rabbit with me and Aspensplash? Then one of these older rabbits can go to the apprentices and the others can be split amongst you and the warriors and Lightwing."

"Sounds good," Adderclaw meowed, dipping his head respectfully. I blinked—yes, he was my deputy and should show me respect, but sometimes I couldn't separate this new, responsible Adderclaw from the conceited and bratty kit. What had changed?

"And you should probably choose which cats are coming to the Gathering tonight," Adderclaw added. "The second night after the first snowfall. I wonder if StarClan planned that?" Chuckling softly to himself, he padded off, dragging behind him the three rabbits allotted to him, Lightwing, and the warriors.

* * *

 **Again, sorry for lack of quality. I'm so not proud of this chapter at all. -_-**

 **On a happier note, I've almost decided on the OCs I'll be using for Sootstar's and Dawnshine's litter! Here they are:**

 **Sagekit (ThiefOfSong)**

 **Willowkit (QLKwriter)**

 **But I'm not sure about the tom. It'll either be Wolfkit (Shadows Of Weeping Wolves) or Shadekit (ShadowHawk540). I want to use both kits, but I don't want to have a litter of four. If it's okay with either of you, maybe one of those kits could be used in another litter? Like maybe Rainstar's or Cinderstar's? Neither will have kits for some time, but I'm pretty sure both will have kits at some point in time. If you want, though, one could also be used in Lightwing's and Hyperion's litter. :-\**

 **AOTD: I write whenever I get the time, pretty much. As of right now that's the afternoons. My mornings are taken up with swim practice and sleep and my evenings are taken with rowing lessons.**

 **QOTD: What activities do you do during the summer and/or school year? (I'm guessing everyone is in some type of school?)**


	5. The Gathering

**I'm sorry this took so long to come out. :( I wasn't feeling much like writing this past week and I have camp next week so that might affect my writing time. I'll try to get out the next chapter in about a week.**

 **Leopardstar2002: Yeah, I was the same until this summer. Now I'm incredibly busy! :O**

 **ShadowHawk540: I've never actually known anyone who played baseball before. Is it fun? And I definitely feel the math. I've still got summer homework to do. (bleh...)**

 **QLKwriter: ^^ I'll take good care of Willowkit! And there's a little more about the food issue in this chapter.**

 **walkswithwheels: Happy late birthday! :D I definitely feel like there's less plot in this book than in the other ones, but I guess it doesn't really matter if this book is shorter. I'm intending for Foxtooth to be injured for a majority of the book but still be alert so he can talk to Cinderstar and give her advice if she wants. It would probably also affect the food problem with having to feed him while he can't hunt for the Clan. He will recover, though. And I meant for the three previous POVs to stretch through two days, with Sootstar living through the first morning and afternoon, then Cinderstar the afternoon and night, then Rainstar the next day. But I will consider the triple-POVs for later on. And do you mean Rowanpaw's comment? Because he and Rainstar are actually about 3-4 moons apart. Lionpaw is much younger, at about 10 moons in comparison to Rainstar's about 17.**

 **ilovewarriorcats: Yeah, when I was partway through Misty Horizon I PMed Leafsplash because her series was so successful and mine had only one person reading each chapter. She gave me some useful tips and she offered to recommend my story. Her help made this series so successful. :) Incidentally, I also knew about half of those facts, but some I hadn't heard before, like how orange and black are sex-linked (I knew about the tortoiseshell though) and the purple eyes (but yeah, I knew about the pink). The strange thing is that walkswithwheels also recommended I include an albino kit in one of the litters. :P My camp was sleep-away for two weeks meaning I had to do laundry and be healthy and stuff all on my own, which was actually a pretty big responsibility. The camp counselors lessened that stress by making sure we always knew what we were doing at a specific time, though. And I'm almost finished with the drawing of Foxtooth and Cinderstar. I have their outlines and fur finished but still have to do the shading and background, though the background shouldn't be too hard to do. I'm planning on just a greenish smear thing. :P**

 **RANDOM PERSON: Yep, here's a RiverClan-ish chapter. :) There will be more from Mossystar's POV, though, so you will get to know RiverClan a little better. You'll find out about SkyClan this chapter. ;)**

 **Willowdream of ForestClan: There will be more litters if you want to submit a kit of your own! :) You could put one in Lightwing's and Hyperion's litter or maybe even Cinderstar's or Rainstar's. I'll put an epilogue at the end with their kits. **

**Shadows of Weeping Wolves: Girl's Camp sounds fun! What do you do there? **

**TheDarkDominion: Thank you so so much for reading my series! :D It really means so much to me! And your fanfic series sounds really cool. Maybe for the title you could do something like The Youngest Leader except that sounds kind of lame, so maybe you'd want to change it to something else. You could probably start with the scene where the leader and deputy die and then StarClan comes in and chooses the kit to be leader. Hope this helps! :)**

 **ThiefofSong: I'll take good care of Sagekit, I promise! ;) It's cool that you do one big family something every year, though. I tend to go to a lot of camps and with both my parents working now that my brother and I are old enough to be left at home alone, I see not so much of them. :( And chilling with friends is always fun, too. Mostly during school for me, all of my friends (though they're a grade below me) have much more work than I do and I end up not seeing them except for at lunch a couple days a week. I think they just take longer than I do at doing homework, though I take a long time to do it myself as I constantly get distracted. :P**

* * *

 **Mossystar's POV**

The full moon came and with it the Gathering. I led the way across the slippery tree-bridge, webbed paws firmly gripping the wet wood. Beckoning with my tail, I led the way through the thick foliage protecting the clear center from Twolegs. When I emerged, I found it to be empty.

Of course the other leaders would make me and the rest of RiverClan wait. Probably they were getting together on the mainland and having an emotional reunion like they most likely did every single full moon. Didn't they realize we were separate Clans? It'd been moons, for StarClan's sake!

I sat with my Clan in relative silence, waiting for the other Clans. Sootstar, Cinderstar, and Rainstar were sure taking their sweet time! Finally, though, I heard movement.

Rainstar emerged from the foliage, WindClan pouring into the clearing behind him. I nodded to him, a respectful, leader-to-leader acknowledgement, but he barely glanced at me before turning to his deputy, a burly lilac tabby with constantly narrowed brown eyes. "Where do you think they are?" he asked, his voice a mixture of eagerness and worry.

"They'll be here eventually," Adderclaw reassured him. "They've never missed a Gathering yet."

"Yeah, I guess so." Rainstar gazed anxiously in the direction he'd come. Sighing quietly to myself, I padded over to him. By the time I reached him, Adderclaw had slipped away into the crowd.

"Good evening, Rainstar," I meowed, dipping my head again.

He glanced in my direction, shocked that I'd come talk to him. I growled inwardly—I was a leader too, for StarClan's sake!

"Oh, hi," he said awkwardly. "Um… how's the prey running—I mean swimming?"

"As much as is expected for the first days of Leafbare," I replied coolly. Man, the nerve of this cat! Was he really trying to point out how weak my Clan was already? He had a lifelong peace treaty with ThunderClan and ShadowClan, but I knew that at any point they could turn on me and drive RiverClan from the lake once more. Seeing what happened before with life outside the lake, I wasn't too keen on experiencing it again.

Sootstar bounded through the foliage at that moment, blue eyes bright with the reflected light of the full moon as he scanned the clearing. I sighed, turning away as Rainstar raced over to his brother and the two embraced, rubbing their chins over each other's shoulders. Their purrs were audible from across the clearing.

I turned away, but couldn't block out their voices.

"Where's Cinderstar?" That was Rainstar. I pictured him glancing worriedly around the clearing.

"Dunno, maybe she's running late." Sootstar, of course, wouldn't be as worried, having just gotten here himself.

But just as Rainstar started to say something else, a rustling around the edges of the clearing announced ShadowClan's arrival. I breathed a sigh of relief. Finally we could get this Gathering started and I could get RiverClan home, away from the sappy catching up the other three Clans participated in routinely every full moon.

"Cats of the Clans!" I yowled, bounding up the Great Tree. "Let the Gathering begin!"

Cinderstar, who had just padded through a clump of bushes, shot me an annoyed glance as she rubbed affectionately past her brothers. I turned away so she wouldn't see me roll my eyes. They could talk later while I led my Clan on its solitary way home.

The other three leaders, nearly identical streaks of gray, climbed swiftly into the tree. I let them sit down before I spoke again.

"RiverClan is doing well," I announced. "Though Leafbare has come, the river has not yet frozen over and we are still able to catch fish." Whatever fish hadn't yet sunk into the mud to hibernate from the cold, that is. I caught a glimpse of a few of my warriors, Rockstorm, Runningpool, and Sandpath, sitting alone near the edge of the clearing, their normally sleek, plump shapes suddenly much thinner. I wondered if the other three Clans would team up to attack us if they found out how weak we really were.

"Our newest warrior, Badgertongue, chased off a couple Twoleg kits a half moon ago." I glanced down at the black and white she-cat. Though she had been a rogue for most of her life, she was fitting into Clan life relatively well, and even had been swimming for the past two moons.

"Bluepaw, our medicine cat, is also showing great promise. Her full title as medicine cat is surely not far off." The other used-to-be rogue, Bluepaw, ducked her head as her Clan cheered her on, helped feebly by the other medicine cats. I sighed to myself; weren't Gatherings supposed to be times of mutual unity and common support between Clans? Rainstar, Cinderstar, and Sootstar were obviously too young to be proper leaders. I shuddered to think what example they must be setting for their Clans.

Cinderstar stood up next. Taking a deep breath, she said, "I am sorry to say that last night I lost a life."

I stared at her, speechless. What was she doing, revealing her weaknesses to all four Clans? Why was she making it public that she was now down to only eight lives? I felt a sudden flash of jealousy. Was she really that comfortable in her position as leader of ShadowClan that she had no second thoughts about revealing something that personal at a Gathering?

Sootstar and Rainstar both looked flabbergasted. Rainstar appeared to quickly swipe away a couple tears from his eyes. Sure, I could tell what he was thinking, that his sister was one step closer to death, but shouldn't he keep his emotions in check? At a Gathering? In front of _all four Clans?_

Cinderstar continued speaking as the noise from the clearing died away, almost as if she didn't know what she'd said. "Foxtooth is injured, but I am assured he will make a recovery in due time. We have also found a new prey source to keep us fed through the hungry Leafbare moons." She sat down, glancing sideways at her brothers.

So ShadowClan at least was also experiencing prey problems. I leaned over the edge of my branch, gazing intently down at the two gray toms. Would they also reveal their prey situations?

Rainstar stood up next. "I am pleased to announce the coming arrival of a litter of kits. Lightwing will soon be in the nursery."

Sootstar and Cinderstar both looked shocked. Then Sootstar's face turned into one of pleasure and I heard him purr as he gazed down into the sea of cats, no doubt searching for his mother. Cinderstar, however, looked troubled as she glanced downward. I searched the upturned faces, but couldn't see Lightwing present. Of course, I might just have forgotten what she looked like, as I didn't go on regular trips to my littermates' camps.

Rainstar continued, "Leafbare has hit the hills hard and snow is piling up in drifts. However, we still manage to get enough to eat."

That was unexpected. Rainstar, the softest of the leaders, following my example in saying his Clan was still strong despite the sudden snow and cold? Interesting. But I could see he and his Clan looked rather skinnier than normal and deduced he must also be lacking in prey.

Sootstar's turn was next. He stood up and said in a voice loud enough to carry over the sudden wind, "ThunderClan is also doing well. I am pleased to say that Dawnshine is also expecting kits."

Rainstar looked puzzled. Leaning over, he murmured in Sootstar's ear. I crouched, angling my head discreetly to hear better.

"But we're so young. What do you want kits already for?"

"We came to leadership young, how different will parenting be?"

"But…"

"ThunderClan needs kits. Better now than later, right?"

"I guess."

Cinderstar's expression had turned into one mildly horrified. "Kits?!" she muttered to herself. "Oh, StarClan, what has he gotten himself into?"

I shook my head. Honestly, if Sootstar wanted kits and thought he was ready to be a father, then that was his choice. If I had littermates as nosy as his, I might just accidentally-on-purpose push them into the lake.

Sootstar opened his mouth again and I leaned forward to try and hear again. Maybe he would enlighten us on his exact prey situation, just like Cinderstar did. But just as his first words were said, a yowl rent the air. I whipped around, staring in amazement as a group of cats swarmed into the clearing, led by a black tom. He skidded to a halt in the center of the clearing, tail raised, his Clan spreading out around him like a flood of water splitting around a boulder. He stared up at us through deep blue eyes.

"My name is Rockstar," he called. "I am the leader of SkyClan. I have come to join the other four Clans once more!"

* * *

It took a while for the Clans to settle down again. Once the gasps and yowls had mostly disappeared, I stood on my branch to address this Rockstar. I figured that, as the oldest of the leaders, I should be the one to speak to him.

"I am Mossystar, leader of RiverClan," I meowed. "This is Cinderstar of ShadowClan, Rainstar of WindClan, and Sootstar of ThunderClan. I believe I speak for all four of us in asking who you are and what you are doing here."

Rockstar flicked his tail irritably. "I already told you," he replied, a touch of annoyance in his voice. "I am Rockstar and this is my Clan, SkyClan. We have come to rejoin the other four Clans."

I immediately realized my mistake. I'd successfully turned Rockstar away from me in my first three sentences to him. Inwardly, I hissed at myself.

Idiot. If he really was coming to stay, he could be a good ally to have.

I dipped my head. "Apologies, Rockstar. But I'm afraid neither I nor my Clan have heard of SkyClan before."

Rockstar growled. I gripped my branch with my claws—why did I have to mess everything up?—but it didn't look like he was mad at me in particular. "Of course," he spat, his voice barely audible over the wind. "The old Clans would have _forgotten_ to tell their descendants about us." He looked up at me again. "If you and the other leaders would come down, I could tell the story of SkyClan."

I didn't dare refuse in case it would give him the impression I was too proud to be a good ally. In any case, Cinderstar, Sootstar, and Rainstar were already descending the trunk. I quickly clawed my way down to the grass, my webbed toes catching painfully on bits of bark in my rush. Finally, all five leaders stood together at the base of the Great Tree.

Rockstar told us what I felt must be a rather detailed and long-winded story of how the other Clans had savagely chased SkyClan out of the old forest, claws and teeth out and ripping. He told how rats had disbanded their Clan, forcing them into Twoleg homes and secluded forests, standing guard in the gorge they lived in. Then Firestar and Sandstorm, two glowing cats from the Clans, came to help rebuild the Clan.

"Hang on," Sootstar broke in. "Cats can't glow. And I know for a fact Firestar didn't."

Rockstar looked intently at Sootstar. "You knew Firestar?"

"Well, no, not exactly," Sootstar said hurriedly. "He's a legend in the Clans, though. Even after we broke apart and had to fight off those rogues."

Rockstar blinked. "What was that?"

I broke in. "I think it's our turn to tell you our story." In a much more succinct version than his, I relayed to Rockstar the story of how the Clans destroyed the peace, how Nightstar had come in with NightClan, and how RiverClan had decided to leave the forest before coming back to face one last battle, defeating Nightstar once and for all.

Rockstar nodded. "So that would be why the legend of SkyClan died with Firestar." He glanced around at the four Clans plus SkyClan. "But legends and stories aside, are we welcome at this lake?"

I glanced around at the other three leaders. Sure, we were smaller versions of the Clans, but food was still scarce. Also, we'd have to rearrange our borders to make room for another whole Clan. How in StarClan would that work?

"Sure," Rainstar said, smiling. "But I think you might have to stay here on the island for tonight."

Sootstar nodded. "How about just the leaders and maybe the senior warriors and medicine cats meet here tomorrow morning and we can figure out the new borders?"

Cinderstar grinned. "Yeah. But we'll probably all have to think about this tonight. What type of territory does SkyClan like?"

"We are good at jumping and climbing trees," Rockstar said firmly.

"Do you like pine trees?"

He wrinkled his nose. "No, we definitely prefer deciduous."

Cinderstar nodded thoughtfully before turning to Sootstar and muttering in his ear. Rainstar turned his head to listen in.

Rockstar leaned closer to me. I felt my heart swell with sudden triumph—I might just have an ally in SkyClan. "Those three are pretty close, aren't they?" he murmured.

I nodded. "They're littermates, actually, but their father told them he wanted them to lead the three Clans. Ashthorn led the rebellion against NightClan originally, but died in the fighting."

Rockstar nodded. "Oh, okay. That makes sense then." He indicated the leaders, with their gray fur, blue eyes, and physically close positions."

"It's sometimes a little hard to feel allied with any of them in the peace that should be here," I meowed bitterly, hoping Rockstar would pick up on my hint. But he only nodded again and pulled away.

"My Clan is tired," he announced, turning to the Clans at large. He nodded to a small white she-cat, who padded forward and placed a white she-kit on the ground. Beside her walked a brown tom who carried a small brown tom-kit. "Tinycloud," he meowed in a quieter voice. "Are you okay? Are your kits up for spending another night in a makeshift den?"

Tinycloud purred, rubbing her nose along Rockstar's jaw. "You worry too much, brother," she laughed. "We're fine. Rabbitleap and I can take care of our kits. You look after the rest of the Clan."

I stood up. "The Gathering is officially over!" I called. "We need to let SkyClan sleep. They had a hard journey here."

Rockstar grinned at me. "Thanks," he meowed.

"No problem," I replied, padding past him and beckoning my Clan to follow me out of the clearing. Before I passed through the thick barrier of foliage, however, I glanced back at Rockstar and the strange cats milling about in the clearing.

It would be hard to fit them in. But if the other leaders were willing to try, I wasn't about to decline a possible ally. At least now if ThunderClan, ShadowClan, and WindClan decided to attack RiverClan, I could count on SkyClan's support to prevent us from being chased out of our territory again.

* * *

 **And here comes SkyClan, as requested. :) I'll post the Allegiances next so you have a good idea of how big the Clan is. It's not much bigger than the four Clans because cats kept getting killed on the journey from exhaustion or cold or sickness or foxes or something.**

 **AOTD: I swim during the summer and I've started learning how to row recently. When school starts again I'm hoping to start into horseback riding, but I'll be too busy until then. I have two camps coming up right after each other and then a break for one week, then another sleepaway camp farther away (this QOTD was a bit for letting you know what my updating schedule will most likely be like for the rest of the summer).**

 **QOTD: What do you think the new boundaries will be like?**


	6. SkyClan Allegiances

SkyClan

Leader: Rockstar - black tom with blue eyes

Deputy: Mintfur - gray tabby she-cat with green eyes

Apprentice: Harrypaw

Medicine Cat: Frecklewish - mottled light brown tabby she-cat with spotted legs and yellow eyes

Warriors: Bouncefire - ginger tom with yellow eyes

Rabbitleap - brown tom with brown eyes

Apprentice: Firepaw

Creekfeather - gray tabby tom with brown eyes

Apprentice: Stormpaw

Nettlesplash - pale brown tom with amber eyes

Plumwillow - dark gray she-cat with brown eyes

Sandyleg - light-colored tom with a darker tail-tip, legs, and ears with blue eyes

Birdface - black she-cat with a gray muzzle with blue eyes

Apprentices: Firepaw - ginger she-cat with amber eyes

Stormpaw - gray and ginger she-cat with green eyes

Harrypaw - gray tom with a paler muzzle and underside and amber eyes

Queens: Tinycloud - small white she-cat with yellow eyes

Kits: Cloudkit - white she-kit with brown eyes

Dustkit - small brown tom with yellow eyes


	7. SkyClan's Territory

**Annnnd... a chapter from Rockstar's POV! :D I figured it was only fair considering I'd done a chapter with Mossystar.**

 **I have two notifications before the chapter:**

 **1\. I will be using both Wolfkit and Shadekit in Dawnshine's litter. I'm sorry, I'm just really indecisive. -_-**

 **2\. I'm not sure if I've already posted this, but I made a YouTube channel. My username is (news flash) Snowfall16 and I've been posting speedpaints of the art I do on DeviantArt.**

 **Leopardstar2002: I'm glad you like SkyClan! :) I used some canon characters to try and tie this series back in to the main arc.**

 **Shadows Of Weeping Wolves: Nah, Birdclaw will never be reincarnated. She's just too evil. o_o I'm glad you like SkyClan, though! :D And yeah, the SkyClan issue will be resolved (mostly) this chapter.**

 **QLKwriter: Yeah, the food issue will be addressed next chapter. The SkyClan issue will be more addressed this chapter, along with a brief explanation of why they had to leave in the first place.**

 **ShadowHawk540: Baseball sounds fun! :) Personally, I prefer swimming or rowing. But swimming is also ending soon. I have one week left before the championship meet. :(**

 **ThiefOfSong: That sounds so cute! :D *squee* Do you have a DeviantArt account? If not, maybe you could set up a temporary one and show it to me through that?**

 **Silverkitty16: I'm sorry you thought it was abrupt. :( I was feeling a little uninspired. And I thought it would be best if all Clans had access to the lake, so the Clans are going to get a little squished. But they can always expand outward if they need.**

 **EradrinSkyleaf: SkyClan! :D Thanks, I actually got the idea from reviewers, though. :3**

* * *

 **Rockstar's POV**

The island was comfortable enough, albeit rather cold and open toward the center. I made two nests of leaves at the base of the huge oak tree—one for me and Bouncefire and the other for Tinycloud, her mate, Rabbitleap, and their kits, Cloudkit and Dustkit. The others followed Mintfur, my deputy, into the thick foliage to try and make space amongst the thick brambles and bushes to sleep comfortably.

The wind blew fiercely all night, flinging snow on top of us like blankets on kittypets. I shivered, curling against my brother's thick fur to keep out the cold, but to no avail. Several times I glanced over at Tinycloud to make sure her kits were warm enough, but they were curled between the warm bodies of their parents, snuggled warmly in brown and white fur.

Finally the morning came, though the weak sun hid behind a thick bank of yellowish gray clouds, promising another snowfall later. I shivered, shaking off the drift of snow that had piled up overnight. I hoped my Clan had gotten better shelter amongst the foliage.

A gray tabby figure caught my eye. I glanced around to see Mintfur bounding toward me. "Rockstar!" she called. "Are all of you okay?"

I nudged Bouncefire with my foot, then quickly sniffed over Tinycloud and Rabbitleap. "We're all fine," I assured her. "How about in the forest?"

"Harrypaw got a little cold but Frecklewish is warming him up," Mintfur replied. "We're all hungry, though."

"Judging from the way the other Clans looked, everyone's hungry," I murmured, recalling the rather skinny cats at the Gathering last night. No one's ribs had been showing, but in time I knew they probably would.

"Maybe we could search the island for a mouse or two?" Mintfur asked hopefully.

I shook my head. "Too small. No mouse in its right mind would live here, what with all four Clans gathering here every moon. Anyway, even if that wasn't enough, we've all spent a night here. I know if I was a mouse, I'd rather try my luck in the lake than stay here to be caught and eaten."

Mintfur sighed. "I thought as much. Can anyone fish, do you know? We might find something in the lake."

"Apart from mice, you mean?" I snorted. Mintfur didn't smile. I knew she must be hungry. "Plumwillow might know something. Or maybe even Creekfeather. You know they used to love playing in the stream."

Mintfur nodded. "I'll ask them. Rabbitleap wouldn't know, would he?" She glanced over my shoulder at the brown tom.

"Nah, he always liked running better. But I could ask him if you want."

"Sure. I'll get Nettlesplash."

As Mintfur bounded away again, I turned to my sister and her mate and kits. "Rabbitleap." Rabbitleap grunted and shifted, but didn't open his eyes. _"Rabbitleap."_ He blinked blearily, gazing at me through the rich brown eyes I knew Tinycloud liked so much.

"What?" he muttered.

"Do you know how to fish?"

Rabbitleap's brow furrowed. "Why would I know that?" His words slurred together and I realized he must not be fully awake yet.

"Rabbitleap, wake up! Do you know how to fish?"

Rabbitleap sat up, yawning widely. I kicked snow into his face and his head snapped around immediately. I knew snow would wake him up.

"No!" he retorted, annoyance audible in his voice.

"Yes you do," Tinycloud murmured, still wrapped around her kits.

Rabbitleap rolled his eyes. "Well, okay, maybe a _little_ bit—"

"Well a little bit's good enough. I need you and your littermates to try catching fish in the lake."

Rabbitleap looked confused. "Why would you need that?"

I knew the snow wouldn't have worked. He'd slept the whole night in it just fine. "We need to eat," I said with exaggerated patience. "We need to _fish_ to eat."

"Mmmkay."

I turned around with an impatient sigh to see Plumwillow and Creekfeather bounding through the powdery snow, eyes bright and tails fluffed up against the cold. I greeted them with a meow. "Where's Nettlesplash?"

"He never quite learned to fish," Plumwillow laughed.

Of course. I knew he wouldn't have learned. He'd never really gotten over his fear of water after Plumwillow had pushed him in the stream as kits. But no matter, there were three cats willing to fish in the icy lake to feed the Clan. _Or at least two willing and one grudgingly_ , I thought with a glance back at Rabbitleap, who was taking his sweet time saying good morning to Tinycloud and his kits.

With a nod to the two warriors, I headed over to the thicker foliage where I knew the rest of my Clan must be sheltering. "SkyClan, come and gather in the clearing!" I called.

About half a dozen cats slipped out into the drifted snow. Firepaw and Stormpaw stood pressed against their brother, Harrypaw, who still looked rather frozen despite Frecklewish's efforts to warm him again. With any luck, we'd be sheltering under better dens this evening.

Birdface stepped forward. "We're all cold and hungry," she meowed. Her brother, Sandyleg, nudged her and whispered, "Stop whining!"

"I know we're cold and I know we're hungry," I replied, dipping my head to the black and white she-cat. "I've sent out Plumwillow, Creekfeather, and Rabbitleap to catch some fish for us. The other four leaders should be here soon enough to decide on our new territory."

Birdface scoffed but remained quiet. Sandyleg trod on her paw and she hissed quietly at him.

* * *

SkyClan had grown used to surviving off little food during the journey, so when the three warriors returned with only five small fish to feed the Clan, I swallowed my sigh and gathered the Clan. "One fish should go to Tinycloud and Rabbitleap," I began. "Their kits are still nursing so Tinycloud needs to be strong for them. Another can be shared between Frecklewish, Mintfur, and I. Two fish can go to the warriors and one to the apprentices."

 _Good thing these fish are big enough for us all to have more than one bite,_ I thought morosely as I picked up a medium-sized trout, usually only big enough for one, maybe two warriors, and carried it over to the two she-cats. Frecklewish nodded gratefully and tucked in, but Mintfur didn't move, even when the not-so-tantalizing odor of fish wafted toward her.

"What's up?" I asked her, trying my hardest to swallow the first slimy mouthful.

Mintfur nodded across the clearing. "The other leaders are here."

I turned, finally managing to swallow my mouthful of rubbery fish. Mintfur was right—the other four leaders, along with a small posse of their own warriors, had begun emerging from the thick foliage.

Waving my tail at them, I called, "Rainstar! Over here!"

Rainstar nodded, then beckoned his cats forward. I remained where I was, waiting for the WindClan leader. I still had a meal to finish, after all.

"Hello again, Rockstar," Rainstar meowed, dipping his head. Then, nodding behind him, he continued, "This is Alderleaf, my medicine cat; Adderclaw, my deputy; Forestwind, a warrior; and Crouchfoot, another warrior. Crouchfoot grew up in the original WindClan and so has been teaching me the ways of old."

I nodded to show my understanding. Then, quickly beckoning over two warriors, I meowed, "This is Mintfur, my deputy; Frecklewish, my medicine cat; Bouncefire, my brother and a senior warrior; and Rabbitleap, another warrior."

Rainstar smiled at the SkyClan cats. "Welcome to the lake," he meowed graciously.

Something that had been nagging at me suddenly flew to the surface at his words. "Why?" I blurted out.

Rainstar's eyebrows drew together in confusion. "Sorry, what?"

"Why are you welcoming us to the lake?" I elaborated. "You don't seem to have much fresh-kill. It's the beginning of Leafbare. Yet you're willing to share your territory with us. Why?"

Rainstar looked at the ground. I got the distinct feeling my words had made him feel rather awkward. "Well… it's, it's a kind thing to do," he said vaguely. "I guess if I showed up with my Clan I'd definitely want the other Clans to welcome me. So here's your welcome."

I let the subject drop for now. Maybe I could ask the other leaders when they arrived. "Okay," I meowed. "Well… have you thought of what territory we could have?"

"I thought—"

A loud rustle interrupted him. Glancing over his shoulder, I saw Sootstar padding into the clearing, followed closely by Mossystar.

"Sootstar!" Rainstar bounded over to the ThunderClan leader, rubbing his muzzle against Sootstar's cheek. Sootstar responded in kind, rubbing his chin over Rainstar's back.

"It makes you feel a little left out, doesn't it?" I turned to see Mossystar sitting beside me, her amber eyes glowing softly. She turned to watch the two gray toms. "They saw each other just last night and they're acting as though it's been moons. It's a little hard to get in on that strong of an alliance."

"It does seem so, doesn't it?" I said thoughtfully. Mossystar seemed to know a lot about the strong bond between those three leaders. Maybe she was trying to get on my good side in order to secure a long-lasting alliance between our Clans. Well, if the other leaders were really that close, it might be advantageous to both of us.

Mossystar turned to her group. "This is Troutstream, my deputy," she meowed, indicating a pale gray tabby she-cat. "This is Ripplefur, my deputy; Runningpool, a senior warrior; and Badgertongue, a new addition, yet who still shows a great deal of promise." She gave the black and white she-cat a half smile, which Badgertongue returned.

I introduced my own cats just as Rainstar and Sootstar padded back over, pelts brushing with brotherly affection. Sootstar, taking the hint, turned and nodded at each of his cats in turn.

"These are Rustpelt, my deputy; Goldenwing, my medicine cat; Breezelark, a senior warrior; and Molewhisker, another senior warrior."

Loud pawsteps sounded as Sootstar's voice died away. All cats turned to watch as Cinderstar dashed through the foliage, her own group of cats haring along behind her. "I'm here!" she gasped. "I brought four cats, as we agreed!"

Rustpelt of ThunderClan glanced over her cats and his face fell. "Where's Foxtooth?" he asked.

"He was… too injured," Cinderstar replied, grimacing. "He'll recover, but not for a while." She turned back to face her Clanmates. "Instead I brought Sparrowtalon, Stormtuft, Frozenwhisker, and Tanglefur."

Tanglefur blinked down at my unfinished meal. "Is that fish I smell?" he asked keenly.

I blinked, surprised that a ShadowClan cat would be interested in my fish. "Um, yeah," I meowed, glancing down at my share. "Um, you don't mind me finishing my meal?" I asked the other leaders.

"Nah, go ahead," Rainstar smiled. "We've all already eaten."

But as I sank my teeth awkwardly into the tough, salty-smelling fish, I heard his stomach rumble. My ears flicked forward; maybe the three siblings weren't as close as Mossystar had said, if they were keeping up strong appearances in front of each other. Or maybe he was just trying to be courteous toward me.

"So about the issue of territory," Mossystar meowed briskly, "I for one think every Clan needs access to the lake and the neutral territory within two tail-lengths of the shore. SkyClan prefers deciduous forest, so Sootstar, ThunderClan would have to give up some land."

Sootstar nodded. "We could do that." He turned to Cinderstar. "Maybe our border could be switched so it ran along the stream, even when it curves deeper into your territory?"

Cinderstar looked thoughtful. "I could always expand away from the lake if I need. Yeah, that could work."

"Then SkyClan's lake border could be between ThunderClan and WindClan," Sootstar meowed, grinning. He looked at Rainstar. "Would WindClan mind if SkyClan took the forest up to the edge of the moor? I know some of that is currently your territory."

Rainstar shrugged. "Yeah, we don't normally use that strip of land. It would probably be easier just to give that to SkyClan."

I stared up at the surrounding hills, trying to picture the border lines. If that was the stream Sootstar mentioned, then halfway between that and the end of the forest would be SkyClan's new border with ThunderClan. It didn't look like much territory, about half as much as they'd had back at the gorge, but then again the gorge was gone, destroyed by Twolegs when they'd built a Thunderpath right overtop of their camp, stretching from one side of the gorge to the other. SkyClan would have to make do here.

"Is that settled then?" Mossystar asked, her voice like that of an interrogation. _Such a forward and fast-paced cat might be good to have as an ally_ , I thought, _but then again, maybe not. Then again, it wouldn't just be an alliance with Mossystar, but the whole of RiverClan_. With their swimming abilities, it seemed they were most at an advantage with the center of the Clans being a _lake_.

"Yeah, I think that would work," Sootstar meowed. "I'd definitely have to expand outward, and SkyClan too, but I think we can do that."

I grinned, glad the negotiations were over so quickly. I wondered if the Clans were always this peaceful or if it was just because three of the leaders were littermates. "I guess I'd better get SkyClan settled in, then," I meowed. "We almost froze last night. It's really open out here."

"Tell me about it," Rainstar muttered under his breath.

"I think I'll take a few warriors and explore the territory, if it's all right with you." He aimed his request mainly at Sootstar. It was, after all, mostly his territory I was taking.

But Sootstar merely shrugged. "It's your territory now," he meowed with a smile.

I almost laughed. It was so amazing to be welcomed in here with such open paws after the tales of viciously being chased from the old forest. I'd never expected it to be this peaceful.

I hoped it'd stay that way forever.

* * *

 **But Rockstar, it's only the fifth chapter! How can it possibly stay that way forever? It'd make for a boring book!**

 **Next chapter the action really kicks up. :) I know because I finished this chapter but was on a roll writing-wise and just continued right over into another Word document and kind of wrote the entire next chapter. :P Whoops. But I guess that's one of the good whoopses instead of a bad one. I'll post it in a couple days to give people time to read this one first.**

 **QOTD: What's your favorite animal? (sorry for lameness, couldn't think of anything)**


	8. New Territory, New Problems

**Gosh, I really meant to get this chapter out a couple days ago. I guess I've just been so busy I forgot! :( Sorry!**

 **Leopardstar2002: Cool! I've never met someone who likes bears before, but yeah, now that I think about it they can be kinda cute at times. :)**

 **ShadowHawk540: I also do rowing, and that murdered my arms this afternoon! I looked up the peregrine falcon because I wasn't sure what they exactly looked like (specific species of falcon and all) and they look really cool! They're all contrasting with their coloration and all. xD**

 **QLKwriter: Thanks! :) I think they're all getting hungrier... A red panda's pretty original, if you ask me! But yeah, cats... this is a Warriors fanfiction I'm writing here.**

 **ilovewarriorcats: I don't mind long reviews or short reviews. :) Any type is fine with me, depending on how much time you have or how much you have to say. One word is kind of hard to reply to, but... well, yeah, you get the point. I think. And I just watched Jurassic World a couple weeks ago with a friend who fangirled the whole time over Blue and the other raptors! But yeah, I also like horses. :) They're pretty amazing.**

 **EradrinSkyleaf: Thanks for checking out my channel! :D But yeah, after this book... *sniffles* it'll be over! But don't worry, I have more plans to come... *shifty look* I may or may not be doing a choose your own adventure-type thing and another really long really complicated story I'm really excited about...**

 **The Guardian of the Sky: I used to absolutely LOVE the clouded leopard! Whenever I'd play Zoo Tycoon I'd buy like 30 of them and go broke. :P They were always unhappy though...**

* * *

 **Sootstar's POV**

We had some of our own exploring to do. After settling the new territories with Rockstar, I led my cats back to the stone hollow to make the announcement.

"The new territories are agreed upon!" I called, bounding up the Rockfall to the Highledge. "We have given up a good portion of our territory to SkyClan, but as long as we expand up the hill, we should be able to feed ourselves through Leafbare." I cast a quick glance at the fresh-kill pile as I spoke. It was low, alarmingly low, even for Leafbare. "Rustpelt," I ordered, "take a border patrol around the new borders. You remember where they are?"

Rustpelt dipped his head. "I do, Sootstar," he confirmed.

I nodded back, then continued. "I will lead a hunting patrol into the unexplored territory over the hill. Hopefully we will find something there."

Bounding down the rocky hill again, I surveyed the Clan. Dawnshine obviously would be staying in camp; who knew what might be lurking out there? Molewhisker might be good to have—he was decent at fighting. If we encountered a fox or badger or something we'd definitely want to chase it out as soon as possible.

"I'd like to go on the hunting patrol with you," a quiet voice said beside me. I turned to see Iceheart, her ears halfway back, glancing between me and the ground, as if scared I'd punish her for asking.

"Sure," I meowed. "You can come. Can you go tell Molewhisker and Streamfrost to meet me at the camp entrance?"

She nodded and dashed off. As I padded across the camp toward the thorn barrier, I spotted Rustpelt leading Tortoiseheart, Breezelark, and Snowclaw out into the forest. They nodded at me respectfully as they passed.

Iceheart soon returned with the two warriors and we set off. I led the way through the snowy forest, forging a path through the drifts with my wide shoulders. Soon, we reached the edge of our current territory.

"Well, off we go to explore the great unknown," I muttered, and stepped over the invisible scent line.

Unfamiliar forest greeted me. Moons of time spent leading ThunderClan had well acquainted me with our territory, but this was foreign to me. Even when Cinderstar, Rainstar, and I had first come to the lake, it had been in ShadowClan territory that we'd first set foot, not ThunderClan.

Iceheart padded up beside me, her amber eyes wide as she gazed around at the silent landscape. "I wonder if there'll be prey here," she murmured.

I glanced around at her. "Why, do you think there'll be more prey here than in our old territory?"

She nodded. "Cats haven't hunted here in ages, I bet." She hesitated, then continued. "It's good that we're getting this territory, you know? The other Clans aren't as close to here. It'll be a reliable food source."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "What are you suggesting? That the other Clans would try to steal prey?" I asked incredulously. "Nonsense. We're at peace, for StarClan's sake!"

She shrugged. "Hunger does strange things to cats." She dropped back to walk beside Streamfrost.

I stared ahead, not really seeing the path in front of me, only functioning enough to keep plowing through the snow. ThunderClan was flanked on one side by ShadowClan and on the other by WindClan. Well, ThunderClan _used_ to be flanked by WindClan. Now it was SkyClan. Would they try to prey-steal?

 _Not intentionally, surely?_ I thought. _They'd be too busy exploring their own territory, getting settled in their camp. Maybe by accident, but not on purpose! We welcomed them with open paws, for StarClan's sake!_ Yet I couldn't just forget Iceheart's words.

Shaking my head to attempt to clear it, I turned back to the warriors. "We'll have to split up to hunt at all," I meowed. "Let's try in pairs, how about? Let's see… Iceheart, you can go with Molewhisker. Streamfrost, you're with me."

Iceheart dropped back even farther to stand beside the brown and cream tom. Streamfrost bounded forward to stand closer to me. "Let's go," I said.

Streamfrost padded beside me as we headed through the forest. "How far away from our old territory can we go?" she asked.

I shook my head. "I don't know. Let's just go until we smell—" I caught the whiff of a rabbit. _Well, that was quick,_ I thought, impressed.

One glance at Streamfrost's face told me she smelled the rabbit too. I nodded in its direction and, together, we crept through the trees toward it, careful not to step on any dry leaves or sticks hidden under the snow, lifting our paws high to clear any clinging foliage. After several long moments of silent stalking, I finally spotted a bobbed tail bouncing through the grayish trees.

Streamfrost began circling around. I remained where I was, hidden with the wind pointing at me and the rabbit's nose away. It dug its paws under the snow's surface, apparently searching for something tasty to eat, completely unaware that in a moment, it itself would be food.

"Sootstar!" a voice called, breaking the silence like a rock thrown into the Moonpool. The rabbit's head jerked up. I lunged forward, desperately trying to catch it, but I wasn't fast enough. With a kick of its hind paws and a flurry of snow, it was gone.

I turned toward the voice, fury pounding beneath my pelt as Tortoiseheart came skidding into view. "What were you thinking?" I burst out savagely as the tortoiseshell tom slid to a stop in a drift. "I almost had a rabbit. If there's a shortage of prey tonight, you won't—"

"Sootstar," Tortoiseheart interrupted. "Come with me. We've found something."

Despite my anger, his words piqued my curiosity. I stared shrewdly at him, trying to decide whether to keep yelling at him or shut up and follow him like a baby mouse. As if he knew what I was thinking, Tortoiseheart added, "Trust me, you won't want to miss this. Rustpelt sent me to get you as quickly as I could."

Well, if this really was not important, I could always discipline my warrior later. I nodded stiffly. "Lead the way."

Streamfrost pounded along at my side as we raced through the forest, Tortoiseheart leading the way. We headed straight back along the path he'd already made, making our progress much easier than it would otherwise have been. Eventually, we emerged at a spot just outside of our territory.

"It was just along here," Tortoiseheart panted, padding away from the camp along a second path smelling much like Rustpelt, Breezelark, and Snowclaw. "It was incredible…"

And I saw it. My jaw dropped; Tortoiseheart was right, it was worth missing a rabbit just for this, though obviously it would have been best to have caught the rabbit _and_ seen this. It was a giant pile of fresh-kill, though not fresh-kill any cat could eat. It was really more like crowfood now.

The rest of the border patrol crowded around the base, picking at it with their claws. As I drew closer, Rustpelt shook his head. "It's no use. It's all inedible." He caught sight of me. "Sootstar! I'm glad Tortoiseheart was able to find you so quickly."

"What is this?" I asked, still staring in horror at the giant pile.

Rustpelt shrugged. "This might be the reason for our food problem."

"But what cat would do this?" I argued. "What cat would go out of their way to catch this much prey and let it go to waste? It's completely against the Code!"

"I know," Rustpelt muttered tersely. "It's stupid. But it's done, I'm afraid. And I can't identify any scents on them other than natural forest smells."

"This prey's got to be only a quarter moon old," I argued. "If we'd found this a few sunrises ago, we could have still eaten some of it, at least. Scent doesn't disappear that quickly."

"If a Clan cat did it, they made sure to cover their scent well. Maybe they covered themselves with mud or something."

I shook my head, still in awe of the giant pile of crowfood. "I need to discuss this with my senior warriors," I muttered.

"But what about the patrol?" Rustpelt asked, glancing over his shoulder. "We still need to mark out our new boundaries."

I turned to Streamfrost. "Go get Iceheart and Molewhisker," I instructed her. "Send Molewhisker back to camp with any fresh-kill they might have caught. Breezelark, go with her. Snowclaw, Rustpelt, and Tortoiseheart, come back to camp with me. Once Molewhisker gets back, we can have a proper meeting in my den."

* * *

Six cats gathered in the leader's den as the sun began its slow descent to the horizon: Rustpelt, Goldenwing, Molewhisker, Tortoiseheart, Snowclaw, and myself. I sat in my nest because there really was no room in my den for me to head the meeting from a more suitable position.

I began by describing the afternoon's events for the benefit of Goldenwing and Molewhisker. When I'd finished describing the giant heap of rotting crowfood, silence descended like a mist over the meeting.

"But…" Molewhisker meowed slowly, staring hard at the ground as if it could give him answers. "But who would do this? Just steal prey from their own Clan?"

"There's no guarantee it was a Clan cat," Tortoiseheart reminded him. "It could very well be a rogue or loner."

"It would have to be more than one cat, though," Goldenwing meowed analytically. "There's literally no way one cat could catch that much in one day, or two days, or even an entire quarter moon, if the pile's as big as you say."

I nodded. "It must have been six or seven tail-lengths high. It was incredible."

"Incredible indeed," muttered Snowclaw.

"Maybe it was multiple rogues working together?" Rustpelt suggested.

Tortoiseheart shook his head. "I lived amongst rogues," he meowed. "Maybe one could do this in revenge to the Clans? Possibly two? Never more. It would take at least four cats to catch this much fresh-kill."

I grimaced. "Maybe NightClan remnants here to torture us further?"

Snowclaw gasped. "Maybe they're reforming under a different leader!"

"It's not a possibility we can rule out," I meowed regretfully.

Rustpelt stood immediately. "We need to send out more patrols," he said. "I can get on that immediately."

I motioned for him to sit down again. "Not yet. We need to announce this to the Clan. It's a big bit of news and we shouldn't rush through telling them."

"Then let's tell them now, so we don't have to wait as long," Rustpelt countered, kneading the ground with his claws. "NightClan is dangerous," he reminded us, like we'd already forgotten the moons of terror we'd experienced."

"It would be a rather dumb move for them to attack all the Clans like this," Goldenwing meowed nervously. "Let's not jump to conclusions."

"Who else could it be?" Molewhisker asked. He glanced over his shoulder and I knew he must be thinking of Amberwing and his three remaining kits.

"Let's make the announcement," Rustpelt urged.

"Yes." I stood up, silencing all the talk. "I will talk to the Clan. But," I added as Goldenwing opened her mouth, "I will not mention NightClan. I'll say it might be rogues. But if the Clan wants to believe it's NightClan, there's nothing I'm going to do to disprove it. We don't know anything yet other than some cat's taking our prey."

Goldenwing nodded. "That's fair," she meowed.

I padded out of the den into the quickly diminishing sunlight. Already one side of the hollow was in shadow. Living at the bottom of a stone pit really did have its disadvantages, among them a certain lack of sunlight.

"Cats of ThunderClan!" I called. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!"

I waited until most of the Clan had emerged from their warm dens, settling in one dense clump in the center of the clearing, before speaking again. "While out on patrol today, Rustpelt and his warriors found something exceptionally alarming. It was a great pile of rotting fresh-kill, six, maybe seven tail-lengths high. That's why we have so little prey—it's all been stolen and wasted."

Horrified, alarmed yowls rose from the clearing below. I paused a moment before attempting to make myself heard again. "We… We will…" But it was no use. My Clanmates were too busy talking amongst themselves, calling to StarClan, loudly expressing their amazement, anger, and fear. Finally, they quietened enough for me to yowl, "Quiet!"

The cats' voices faded into relative silence once more, broken now only by low murmurs as cats continued to discuss the anomaly with their neighbors.

"We are going to send out patrols to mark our new borders," I meowed. "We believe this to be the work of rogues, but we have no proof of who did it. All cats are instructed to be on high alert. We will have guards posted day and night from now on, just like in the old days. Every border patrol must be on high alert for any strange cats outside our borders."

"Or the other Clans!" someone called from the Clan.

Dead silence followed the cat's words. I stared into the crowd, but I couldn't pinpoint who had spoken. The cats were so packed together. It could have been any of them.

"Let's not blame the other Clans just yet," I said, trying to keep my voice calm. There was no way Rainstar or Cinderstar had stolen the prey! Was there?

"What about SkyClan?" Rustpelt asked from the base of the Rockfall.

"They just got here!" Robinchest retorted, staring hard at Rustpelt from the edge of the crowd. "Sootstar said the pile was of _crowfood_ , not prey caught yesterday!"

"But they could have stayed in the forest past the edge of our territory," Rustpelt argued. "Who says they just got here?" He turned to look up at me. "With your permission, Sootstar, I'd like to take a few cats beyond our new borders and search for any trace of SkyClan camping in the general area."

I hesitated. We really couldn't spare many warriors right now. But if SkyClan really was stealing the fresh-kill, I needed to know about it and tell the other Clans. Had we been right in welcoming SkyClan in so easily?

"Tomorrow," I meowed. "Tonight we need to define our borders. It wouldn't surprise me if the other Clans already had their boundaries marked twice over."

Rustpelt nodded and beckoned to a few cats, leading them out through the barrier. The meeting broke up, with cats discussing the day's events in excited or incredulous voices in small groups of two or three.

Dawnshine padded up the Rockfall to meet me. "You look tired," she meowed anxiously, pressing herself against me.

"I'm fine," I murmured, rasping my tongue over her cheek. "Just tired."

"Go eat something," she encouraged me. "Molewhisker was able to catch two whole sparrows this morning and I went out hunting with Robinchest. The Clan has been fed."

"I need to share with someone," I muttered, beginning to descend the Rockfall. "Prey's so scarce… I can't eat an entire piece of prey by myself."

"I can share with you," Dawnshine smiled. "I need to keep eating, don't I?"

I grinned as the thought of my future kits crossed my mind. "Yeah," I meowed. "Yeah, let's go share one of those sparrows."

* * *

 **Yeah, I wrote this chapter last weekend sometime, along with like half the next chapter. I might be able to finish it sometime this Sunday or Saturday but until then my schedule's packed! o-o**

 **AOTD: I like dragons. And gryphons and phoenixes and... what was that? We're talking about REAL animals here? Man, I thought it could be fantasy too! Oh well, if that's the case, then I like cats (yeah), horses, wolves, and huskies. (shh yes huskies are a separate animal no they're totally not dogs what are you talking about)**

 **QOTD: I'm doing this drama/playwriting camp this week. Do any of you like acting or playwriting?**


	9. Spreading the News

**This chapter's pretty short. :( Sorry about that! I wanted to get a chapter out as I haven't updated in a little while. I've been working hard trying to memorize lines for my drama camp and the play was this afternoon. It went okay, but I missed one of my cues which I'm mad about.**

 **QLKwriter: You're really trying to puzzle things out but I don't want to give any spoilers. I feel like it would be better if everyone found out what was going on at the end. :)**

 **ShadowHawk540: I've heard of odyssey of the mind, but I've never done it myself. I think it's a little like Destination Imagination which I did earlier this year? (do you know what that is?) The ant thing sounded really hilarious. :)**

 **BRUH: Hopefully! :)**

 **Leopardstar2002: The Dark Forest would be a good source for all this trouble... it _is_ what happened in the canon books, so it would definitely be plausible.**

 **Willowdream of ForestClan: Yeah, but what if they did that specifically to let the other Clans think they hadn't stolen the food? ;) I'm not saying that's what happened, I _am_ trying to heighten the mystery though.**

 **EradrinSkyleaf: Do you do any acting of your own? I've never been in any plays or anything but I do Destination Imagination (do you know what that is?) and I do some acting with that. I hope your Student Conference goes amazingly well! :D**

 **Shadows Of Weeping Wolves: It's okay! :) Malamutes are so cute! I especially like the puppies... I'm glad I inspired you to keep writing Abandoned! :) I hope that inspiration continues for a long time to come!**

* * *

 **Cinderstar's POV**

When I fell asleep that night, I didn't expect to dream. But dream I did.

* * *

 _I stood on a translucent cloud of mist and stars, gazing down at the lake. Around me grew several large, thick trees, each stretching up into transparent oblivion. It was night, the black sky stretching overhead, starless. Maybe I couldn't see the stars because tonight I moved amongst them._

 _The gray figure of Ashthorn appeared, padding toward me out of the darkness. His face broke into a smile. "Cinderstar, my favorite daughter," he purred, pressing his nose against my forehead. "How are you doing?"_

 _I blinked, taken aback. "What are you doing?" I asked, taking a few steps backward._

 _Ashthorn's eyebrows drew together. "What, am I not allowed to visit my daughter in her dreams?" he asked._

" _No, no, it's just… well…" I hesitated. "It's so random. Like, why now? Why not yesterday or tomorrow or something? What's so special about tonight?"_

 _Ashthorn's eyes widened. "Nothing at all," he assured me. "I just thought maybe I could spend some time with my daughter, is all."_

 _I glared suspiciously at him. He sighed. "Did I not help you in the final battle against Nightstar?"_

 _I paused. What did he want from me? But he quite obviously was waiting for an answer, so I gave a tense, quick nod._

 _Ashthorn looked away. "You still don't trust me," he murmured sadly. "Sootstar's really convinced you I'm evil, hasn't he? But, Cinderstar, you have to understand, I saw him following the same path I went down. He… he would have become like me. He would have put duty above his mate, his kits. His kits would have gone through much what I put you through when you first came to the lake. The whole Are You Worthy To Be My Kits thing."_

 _I didn't reply. I didn't even know what to think, much less say._

" _You began trusting me again when I helped you," Ashthorn meowed. "Let me help you again."_

" _We don't need any help," I snapped, turning on him with narrowed eyes. "We're at peace! We're surviving!"_

" _Are you really?" Ashthorn asked quietly. He glanced around, then leaned closer, so close I could feel his warm breath on my ear fur. "There's a group of cats stealing your Clan's prey—all the Clans' prey. Watch out for them." He nodded once and faded. I blinked and the misted forest vanished._

* * *

I sat up quickly in my den, breathing hard like I'd just had a nightmare. For a moment, I gazed wildly around, looking for Ashthorn. What had he meant, a group of cats? Stealing our prey? Stealing all the prey?

"Cinderstar?" Sparrowtalon poked his head into the den. "It's almost time for the dawn patrol."

"W-what?" I stammered.

"The dawn patrol?" Sparrowtalon prompted. "You said yesterday you'd like to lead it. Get to know the boundaries a little better, you know."

I shook my head. "I need to see Stormtuft."

Sparrowtalon looked confused. "What?"

"Stormtuft," I insisted. "I need to see him. Now."

Worry flashed in Sparrowtalon's eyes. "Are you sick?"

"No, no," I meowed, sitting up and twitching my fur to get rid of the larger clumps of moss. "No, I'm fine. I had a dream from StarClan last night. I need to talk to him about it."

Sparrowtalon dipped his head. "Very well." He hesitated, then added, "Would you mind if I came along? Or is this a matter that stays between the two of you?"

"No, you can come. In fact, it would probably be best that you do." I hurried out of the den, glancing around for the medicine cat. "Where is he?" I muttered.

"I believe he's in the nursery checking up on Brightkit," Sparrowtalon said, coming up beside me. "How about I find a new cat to lead the patrol and you get Stormtuft? We can meet in the medicine den."

" 'Kay," I meowed, bounding across the snowy clearing. Thank StarClan it hadn't snowed overnight, and the snow was packed into the ground, easy to cross. I reached the nursery, sticking my head in and glancing around inside.

Stormtuft sat beside Dewcloud's nest, watching Brightkit as she tumbled around from nest to deserted nest. I felt a pang when I realized just how small the Clan was getting. _We don't have any kits other than Brightkit, and she's technically RiverClan. We really need more kits if we're going to grow anytime soon._

I pushed my way into the den, making sure I didn't put my paws in Brightkit's path. Nonetheless, she paused her play to stare up at me, awed that the _Clan leader_ had just walked into the nursery.

"Stormtuft," I meowed, gazing across the den at him. "I need to speak with you."

Stormtuft stared hard at me for a heartbeat before nodding and standing up. "Brightkit looks to be in perfect health, Dewcloud," he meowed, flashing a quick smile. "I'm sure that cough was just a leaf caught in her throat or something."

Dewcloud dipped her head. "I'll call for you if anything else comes up."

Stormtuft followed me out of the nursery. "What's this about, Cinderstar?" he asked keenly. "Foxtooth is doing well, you know that. You've been in to see him at least once per day, if not more."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, I know that. It isn't about Foxtooth. I… I had a dream last night."

Stormtuft looked at me with thrice the intensity of before. "Explain," he ordered.

"Ashthorn came to visit me. My fath—"

"I know he's your father. I'm not _that_ forgetful."

"Right." I gave my paw a quick, embarrassed lick. "Um, well, he visited me in my dream last night. He said something really strange. He said that there was a group of cats stealing the Clans' prey."

Stormtuft blinked in shock. " _What?_ "

I grimaced. "He didn't give me any specifics though."

"No, they never do," Stormtuft muttered distractedly. He began to pace back and forth, back and forth, treading a path through the already pounded-down snow. "We need to do something. Find out more." He looked up at me. "You need to send out a patrol to the far reaches of our new territory."

I hesitated. He wasn't a leader or a deputy, or even a warrior. Was he eligible to send out patrols?

As if reading my mind, Stormtuft meowed exasperatedly, " _You_ can send out patrols. I'm giving you my advice. It's what medicine cats are meant to do."

I nodded hastily. "Yes, of course." Inwardly I cursed myself. Why couldn't I get the hang of this leader thing? It'd been moons and it seemed I still thought leadership was a solitary occupation.

Turning, I headed out of the den, pausing in a patch of weak morning sunlight to survey the camp. "Frozenwhisker!" I called. "Mistheart! Come with me on a border patrol."

The two warriors bounded over almost immediately, Frozenwhisker only pausing to give Brightkit a quick lick over her ear. I led them out of the camp and down the slope beyond, heading straight for the border. I'd decided to start with the ThunderClan border and head up into our more unfamiliar territory from there.

As we drew nearer to the border, I heard several cracks like snapping branches. Lifting my tail in a _Halt_ signal, I crept forward on my own, surveying the territory. Could the thieving group be hiding out on ThunderClan territory?

I heard a muffled pawstep behind me. Realizing with a jolt I might need backup, I turned quickly to beckon Mistheart and Frozenwhisker forward. _They're here for a reason,_ I reminded myself in annoyance.

A tail swept briefly into view. I stalked it, pressing my chest close to the ground, using my gray fur to hide in the shadows of trees and bushes. I scanned for more cats, eyes narrowed so as not to be seen.

A soft poke on the tail almost made me jump high enough to grab a tree branch. Turning my head quickly, I glared at Frozenwhisker. "What?" I hissed, barely loud enough to be heard.

The gray and white tom nodded ahead. "The border's right in front of you," he muttered. "I think we're stalking a ThunderClan patrol."

I sniffed the air suspiciously. Yes, it did seem like these cats had no foreign scent. Relaxing, I stood and meowed, "Hello."

The ThunderClan cats spun around, eyes wide. When they recognized me, they relaxed. I even saw one of the warriors sink into a sitting position. How uptight had they been?

"Good morning, Cinderstar," Rustpelt, the patrol leader I assumed, meowed politely, dipping his head respectfully. "How is the prey running in ShadowClan?"

"Okay," I replied, glancing over the cats. They all looked rather bone-thin. I wondered if what Ashthorn had said was true. Leafbare couldn't be _this_ hard on the Clans, otherwise they'd have moved away from the lake a long time ago. "How about you?"

Rustpelt grimaced. Glancing around at his patrol, he leaned closer and said, "We have something to tell you. I'm sure Sootstar wouldn't mind us sharing this news with you." He took a deep breath. I wondered halfheartedly if he'd only done that to build up suspense for me. "We found something terrible on our territory yesterday."

"What?" I asked, doing my best to keep my impatience out of my voice. _Spit it out_ , I wanted to growl. But that wasn't a leaderly thing to do, so I held my tongue and waited.

"It was a giant pile of fresh-kill."

My eyes grew huge. " _What?_ " I swallowed against the rising tide of saliva in my mouth. "But why would that be terrible?"

"It was all crowfood."

I clenched my teeth in horror. " _What?_ " I exclaimed yet again.

"I know," Rustpelt grimaced. "We don't know who did it. The pile stank too much to discern any scents other than rotting prey."

I turned to my own warriors. Mistheart looked faintly queasy. Frozenwhisker looked like he wanted to kill something. "We have to get back to camp," I meowed briefly. "Let the Clan know what has happened."

"But what about—" Mistheart began, but I cut her off.

"This patrol was to find something odd around our territory. Well, this might not be around our territory, but it certainly is odd." At her continued look of worry, I added, "We can go out again later to remark the borders."

Mistheart nodded tensely and started back along the path to camp. Frozenwhisker shuffled backward to give me room to pass and I nodded in thanks to him, bounding past Mistheart to lead the way.

It seemed Ashthorn might just be right. Maybe it was time to start trusting him again?

* * *

 **o_o Maybe...**

 **AOTD: I like acting, not as much playwriting, and I hate memorizing lines because I'm kind of bad at it... But the camp was still really fun! We did some group improvisation, which was fun! ^^**

 **QOTD: Do you think Cinderstar should start trusting Ashthorn again?**


	10. Dreams and Talks

**Gah, it's been a long time since I've updated. I really need to get around to writing chapters more.**

 **Leopardstar2002: Yeah, it's about time, isn't it?**

 **Willowdream of ForestClan: Both are true! But which should Cinderstar focus on? Also, how far along are you on that mega-drawing of yours? :) I'd love to see it when it's finished!**

 **QLKwriter: Thanks! But yeah, there weren't too many openings for theories last chapter, were there?**

 **EradrinSkyleaf: I'm glad! :) Here's what happens next! Acting is fun, but I have problems memorizing my lines. -_- DI is really fun, though! You get months of prep so I can easily memorize lines. I'm actually going to a Christian camp this next week starting tomorrow, so fingers crossed I'll have a blast like you did at your conference!**

 **ShadowHawk540: Mossystar. xD Yeah, it would cause a lot of sibling angst which I kind of feel is nonexistent between Sootstar, Cinderstar, and Rainstar. And it really is good to get to bed before 3 am. o_o**

 **ilovewarriorcat: Naw, it's fine! :) It's been like a week since I updated so I think it's fair. And yeah, I'm definitely going to make the trio act more like leaders, or at least get their butts kicked in that direction. It really is about time. Sorry about the outdated allegiances, I was a bit lazy about making new cats and I thought it would be interesting to put in some canon characters. :S**

* * *

 **Rainstar's POV**

 _A forest formed around me, boughs reaching high into the starless sky. I blinked, eyes adjusting to the brightly illuminated nighttime of StarClan. It was much darker down in WindClan territory._

 _From the faint mist emerged a gray figure I recognized immediately as my father. "Ashthorn!" I cried, bounding forward to embrace him. Then an image of Sootstar's angry, betrayed face swam before my eyes and I skidded to a halt, paws sliding along the undergrowth of weeds. On the_ moors _, I didn't have to deal with this stuff._

 _Ashthorn blinked sadly at me. "What stopped you, my son?" he asked despondently._

" _Um…" I hesitated, wondering if I should tell the truth. Then I shook my head. This was my_ father _, for StarClan's sake! Why shouldn't I tell him the truth? "It's Sootstar," I confessed, hanging my head. "If he knew I was happy to see you…"_

" _Are you?" Ashthorn asked, stepping forward. "Are you pleased to see me?"_

 _I nodded sadly._

" _Well then what's stopping you from spending time with me?"_

" _Sootstar—" I started again, but Ashthorn interrupted me._

" _Wouldn't Sootstar want you to be happy?" I bit my lip. Yes, he would, but this was_ Ashthorn. _Sootstar still hadn't forgiven him for refusing to bless his warrior name. Bit stupid, really. "Does Sootstar have to know you're here?"_

 _I shook my head. "No. But just… don't tell him, will you? I don't want our relationship to fade."_

 _Ashthorn's eyes gleamed in the moonlight. "You need to stop relying on your littermates, Rainstar," he reprimanded. "You need to stand alone. SkyClan has physically cut you off and your leadership has mentally cut you off from them. Now you need to cut yourself off emotionally."_

 _I looked up at him in horror. "But… they're a part of who I am! I can't ever just_ forget _them!"_

" _I'm not asking you to_ forget _them. I'm asking you to remain separate from them. This isn't a joint Clan you're leading. It's yours."_

" _But—"_

 _Ashthorn blew out an exasperated breath. "But what, Rainstar?_ What? _Your own Clan is getting sick and tired of you constantly wondering how Sootstar and Cinderstar are doing. It's been an entire season. It's time to step up and become your own leader."_

 _I remained staring at the ground. This felt impossible. How could I just cut myself off from my littermates? I'd grown up with them, gone on adventures with them, found who I was with them. And now I had to face possible war against them? How could I possibly do that?_

" _Can you at least promise me you'll try?" Ashthorn asked gently. "I'm not asking you to fight them. I'm asking you to show me you can stand on your own."_

 _I took a deep, shaky breath. "Okay."_

 _Ashthorn purred, pressing his muzzle against my forehead. "That's my brave son," he whispered._

* * *

The cold woke me first. I rolled over, burrowing deeper into my mossy nest, trying in vain to fall back asleep. But the cold, cruel wind blew straight through the side of my bush den and right into my fur. Shivering violently, I rolled onto my back, gazing out at the sky. It was still nighttime, the moon and stars trying in vain to shine through a swiftly moving bank of clouds. I groaned to myself—snow was coming again.

"Rainstar?"

I blinked as the upside-down face of Aspensplash came into view. "Aspensplash?" I muttered, rolling onto my belly. "What are you doing here?"

Aspensplash gave her chest fur a couple licks. "Well, I thought I heard you tossing and turning around and thought you might want some company, you know?"

Well, okay then. I dipped my head to her. "I'm fine. Thank you for checking on me." I made to curl up again, making sure to point my back at the wind this time.

Aspensplash hesitated again, then blurted out, "Do you want to come for a run with me?"

I lifted my head again, staring at her. What was going on? Did Aspensplash _like_ me?

"I mean—" Aspensplash hurried to explain. "I mean it might warm us up a little. You know?"

Well, I _was_ getting cold again. Maybe I could go running with her until the wind blew a different direction, at least. "Okay," I meowed, getting up and stretching luxuriously, though freezing my belly fur in the process.

" _Really?_ I—I mean, great, let's go!" Aspensplash bounded beside me as we made our way across the clearing, her hazel eyes aglow as if they were tiny moons. Turning away so she wouldn't see—I didn't want her to get any false implications—I smiled to myself. She looked so excited to be out with me. She was like a super-hyper Silverdapple.

But I couldn't think about her now. This run was meant to be fun, not sentimental and grieving. So as soon as we cleared the camp entrance, I broke into a swift run, hoping to leave my worries behind.

Aspensplash loped easily beside me. Not in the slightest out of breath, she grinned at me. "Remember our race in the Twolegplace?"

I purred. "You've always been a better runner than me."

"I've had more practice," she said mischievously, darting ahead. I pushed my paws harder against the ground, trying to keep up. But slowly, slowly, she kept pulling ahead. Panting, I watched her tail whipping ahead, white patches illuminated by the starlight. For a moment, I worried about losing her in the darkness, but almost as soon as the thought crossed my mind Aspensplash began to slow down.

We decelerated, trotting down the slope as our momentum slowed. Finally, walking together, I caught a glimpse of our destination.

It had to be the most romantic place on the entire territory tonight. We stood on an embankment looking over the frozen lake, snow dusting the icy surface. The moon cast a smudged, white reflection. All around us, wind tugged softly at our fur and snow lay in crystallized drifts, hard enough to walk on top of without fear of falling through and being buried. Stars glimmered weakly in the partly cloudy sky, surrounding the moon with hazy light.

I glanced over at Aspensplash, slightly amused. Then I realized she might mistake that expression for love and quickly looked away again, instead staring up at the sky. "It's strange how the bottoms of clouds are so dark during the day, but so pale at night," I murmured.

"It's all in perspective," Aspensplash replied simply. "Against a bright background, clouds look dull and lifeless, but at night they look so soft and inviting."

I wondered if her words had a deeper meaning about love. Inwardly shrugging, I continued gazing skyward. My mind was too exhausted from the late hour and the run to think.

The stars continued twinkling overhead. I wondered if Silverdapple was up there, looking down with love on me. _I love you too, Silverdapple. Wait for me, won't you?_

Aspensplash followed my eyes to the stars. She sighed to herself and I wondered if she knew what I was thinking about. "There are so many cats up there that ought to be down here still. And maybe more are going to follow soon."

I turned quickly, staring at her. "Are you suggesting—" I paused, trying to gain control of my frantic tone. Ashthorn had told me to stop worrying about ThunderClan and ShadowClan and I'd said I'd try. I'd better stick to my word. "Are you suggesting a battle?" I asked in a much calmer voice.

Aspensplash shrugged. "Well, no. But now that you mention it, cats might be forced to go to battle. Over lack of prey," she added to my confused look. "That's actually what I originally meant. Cats are going to start starving soon."

I grimaced and looked out over the frozen lake. "I wish there was something I could do about it."

"I know." Aspensplash pressed herself against me and I stiffened automatically. Then, realizing how soft and warm her fur was, I began to relax. Friends were allowed to press against each other, weren't they? "But sometimes you can't save everyone."

"No. Especially not when they die saving you." I pulled away, suddenly feeling guilty. But why should I? Friendly pressing of fur wasn't against the warrior code, was it? Would Silverdapple be jealous?

Aspensplash was quiet for a moment. Then, eventually, tentative as a piece of prey coming out of its burrow, she meowed, "I… I heard from other cats that you knew another cat before you met me. That she…"

"Died?" I finished bitterly. "Yeah. She died right before Ashthorn did in a huge battle."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Aspensplash biting her lip nervously. Then she continued, "Do you still think about her?"

"Sometimes. She gave me one of my nine lives, you know?"

"Love?" Aspensplash guessed, staring hard at the ground.

"No, strength. Strength to get over my grief."

"Oh." Aspensplash's eyed widened in sudden surprise. Maybe also relief? I sighed; I was too tired tonight to think about Aspensplash's pretty obvious crush on me. Maybe if I was more awake I'd feel more defensive. _Sorry, I've already got a mate! Well, sort of. I never_ actually _asked her, but we were totally_ going _to be come mates once I became a warrior!_

"She was amazing. Beautiful and smart and funny all at once. And she liked me back. I saw it every time I looked into those blue eyes." I squeezed my eyes shut to get rid of the burning sensation. _Stop it. Silverdapple wouldn't want you to cry now._

 _But what if crying meant Aspensplash sees I'm still in love with Silverdapple and give up on me, instead falling in love with another tom? What then?_

 _What does Silverdapple want?_

"It's cold out," I meowed abruptly, getting to my paws. "We should probably get back to camp."

Aspensplash looked slightly disappointed, but also rather resigned as she cast one last glance out over the silent lake, then followed my tracks as I padded back up the slope, heading back to camp.

* * *

For the second time that night, I dreamed of a StarClan cat. Only this time it wasn't Ashthorn.

" _Silverdapple!" I cried joyfully, bounding toward her. For a heartbeat, I could have sworn I saw my excitement mirrored in her eyes. But then she turned away, closing her eyes with a slight grimace._

 _I skidded to a halt, legs splayed on the ground of clouds. "What's wrong?" I asked worriedly._

" _Nothing." Silverdapple looked back up at me, her face a mask of sorrow. "Nothing at all."_

" _Nuh_ uh _. You're all sad. What's up?"_

 _Silverdapple sighed and the trace of a smile crossed her lips. My heart did a double take at the sight of it. "Always straight to the point, aren't you? Especially when someone you love is upset."_

" _Ha," I grinned, hoping to cheer her up. "You admitted you're upset."_

" _Only because you still love me."_

 _My grin disappeared faster than a rabbit down a rabbit hole. "What?"_

 _Silverdapple sighed. "Rainstar, I'm dead. I live in StarClan. I have for moons! You need to move on."_

" _But…" I protested, staring at her in horror._

 _Her intensely blue eyes stared straight into mine and I felt my knees weakening. How could I_ not _love her? Not when she was so intensely perfect. "You need to get on with your life. You're not old enough to waste it pining for a lost love. There's a perfectly good she-cat down in the real world just waiting for you to say yes."_

" _But even if I said it I wouldn't mean it," I argued. "I love you and only you. You've always known that."_

" _And if you truly loved me you'd let me reside up here peacefully, without the guilt and worry stemming from your ignorant grief."_

 _I sat down, staring at Silverdapple's paws. I couldn't meet her eyes. What would I see there? Pain? Regret? Grief? Love?_

 _Probably not love. I could have clawed myself to shreds. How could I have been so selfish? Silverdapple was suffering in paradise because of me. How could I do that to her?_

" _It would make me so happy to see you sharing that unconditional love of yours with another she-cat," Silverdapple purred. "Only do me one favor, will you?"_

" _Anything." I glanced up at her eagerly. Silverdapple's last request. I was ready._

" _Don't you dare tell Aspensplash you love her if you don't mean it."_

* * *

 **More love interests!**

 **QOTD: What do you think of Aspensplash's crush? (also do you think I made Silverdapple waaay too much like Spottedleaf? :S I think I did)**


	11. The Meaning of Allies

**Another Mossy chapter! :3 I tried to put a little more action in this one, even though it starts off a lot like the other chapters.**

 **Leopardstar2002: Those ship feels... :3**

 **QLKwriter: Yeah I do a ton of guest reviews too. ^^; Sometimes I log in but then it automatically logs me out again once every couple months again and it's just easier to review as a guest until I post another chapter or reply to a PM or something.**

 **EradrinSkyleaf: That sounds like so much fun! Yeah my camp was amazing and so much fun! :D Hope yours is/was too! I loved the quotes you typed up in your review. :) Made me so proud I'd actually written stuff like that. *huggles plushies* Thank you!**

 **ShdowHwk540: That's great that your sleep schedule is back to normal. :) I managed to do that too but instead of staying up I slept in until like 11:30 and it was amazingly refreshing, especially after several 7-hours-of-sleep nights.**

 **EmilyOwl1: Thank you so much for reading my story! :D Means a ton! Sorry I'm not posting chapters as often as I used to ;-; too much work and too many camps on this end I'm afraid. OCs for kits are still open, but Dawnshine's litter is full. Maybe you could put one in for Lightwing's litter? Or if you want your OC to be one of the trio's kits you can put one in and they'll be mentioned in the epilogue.**

 **Willowdream of ForestClan: Hurrah for Aspensplash! :D**

 **ilovewarriorcats: Silverdapple was like four moons older than him, three or four. So not too much older, but she's still kind of dead. Sorry about the lack of action. I tried to put a little more in this chapter and some more will definitely be in next chapter, hope it's better. But yeah, you're right, there's not been a lot of action lately. I'll make the trio awesome at the end again, I promise! They have gotten kind of lame now, though. :'( But yeah, Spotted x Fire is like Jay x Stick. Honestly it could never really have happened plus I never liked Spottedleaf. That's weird that you never get tired though. Do you drink coffee or look at electronic screens all day? Because I've heard both of those can keep people up at night. Also, I'm 15 and a teenager so that definitely affects my tiredness levels. xD But I get the no nap thing, I start feeling nauseous whenever I try to take a nap.**

 **Firestream of Ice: Thanks! I loved those kits, they were really cute. :3 I felt so bad when I had to reject them. But I might still use one later on if that's okay? For another litter?**

* * *

 **Mossystar's POV**

"Send out patrols," I ordered, pacing across the clearing. "The Clan is starving to death."

Troutstream nodded. "I'll send out Badgertongue. She's the most experienced of all of us in catching land prey." She bounded away, tail drifting just high enough to clear the snow. I frowned; my usually upbeat deputy seemed to have caught a taste of Leafbare misery. We were barely a half moon in. How would we survive until the end?

I glanced around. All throughout the clearing, cats clustered in groups, exchanging information about possible hunting grounds and grooming each other's fur, tight over bony ribs. I grimaced, wondering how the other Clans were faring. Did they have more prey? Would it be beneficial to attack, say, WindClan and gain more hunting grounds?

Dismissing that idea with a shake of my head, for RiverClan was obviously too weak to lift two claws to defend itself, I bounded over to where Troutstream stood issuing patrols. "We need to try exploring out," I insisted. "Prey could be found there."

Troutstream glanced my way, surprise lighting her green eyes. It was a mark of how harsh the times were, I reflected bitterly, that only the rare flicker of surprise could light Troutstream's eyes.

"Very well," she meowed, dipping her head.

"Meanwhile," I continued, "I will travel to the Moonpool. Maybe our ancestors have some advice for us." I gazed around the camp once more, lowering my voice as Curlwhisker's three kits tumbled past, the only ones with any energy to spare. "Our cats are starving to death. Surely we can find sustenance elsewhere?"

Troutstream looked worried. "SkyClan may not like you crossing into their territory," she warned. "With the new boundaries, the Moonpool stream flows directly through their hunting grounds."

"I'll manage," I replied shortly. "I'm pretty sure Rockstar is our ally. He'll understand."

Dipping her head in acceptance, my deputy backed away, returning to her patrol assigning. "Will you take Ripplefur with you?"

I nodded. "I'll leave all the warriors. They're needed for hunting patrols, I presume." Turning, I padded across the clearing to Ripplefur's den. Inside, he and Bluepaw sat organizing their herbs. A great surge of relief swept through me when I saw how many herbs there were. At least this Clan would stay healthy until it died of starvation.

"Ripplefur, I'm traveling to the Moonpool tonight," I announced.

Ripplefur glanced up, startled. But after one glance at my grim, determined expression, he clenched his teeth and nodded once. "Very well." He turned to his apprentice. "Bluepaw, do you know what you're doing?"

She nodded. "Of course I do."

"What if a cat comes in here with a claw ripped out? What will you do?"

"Marigold or oak leaf to prevent infection, cobwebs to stop bleeding," she recited promptly. "Also a bit of dock for good measure. Maybe a poppy seed if it's paining them too much."

"Eye scratch?"

"Marigold's too strong a sting for eye wounds, so celandine would work better. But still give them a poppy seed for numbness beforehand."

"Ear infection?"

Bluepaw snorted. "Who'd be swimming in this weather? I'd have to treat them for frostbite before the water even touched their ears!"

Ripplefur relaxed. "Okay," he relented. Padding quickly into the back of the den, he retrieved a few herbs from one pile, a couple from another.

"Tonight, Ripplefur?" I prompted impatiently.

"Keep your fur on," Ripplefur muttered, reappearing and dropping a pawful of herbs in front of me. "You need traveling herbs if you're going all the way to the Moonpool. Across two territories and all. Especially in your state."

" _My_ state—"

"You're starving," Bluepaw pointed out. "You're probably rather weak too. Even if everything went smoothly, you'd need that extra boost of energy."

Ripplefur glanced over at her proudly. "You'll be getting your medicine cat name before too long," he meowed proudly. "We didn't take you into this Clan for nothing, after all."

I licked up my herbs, chewing them as fast as I could. They seemed to numb my tongue a little and I almost spat them out, but with one great swallow they were down. Turning, I glanced over my shoulder once to make sure Ripplefur was following before bounding across camp to the entrance.

We crossed RiverClan territory easily. The herbs had worked their way down to my belly and seemed to also numb the hunger pangs that had become a constant companion these past few sunrises. I set a brisk pace, keeping one eye constantly on the sun. It had drifted just past sunhigh, leaving only half the day before nightfall. If I wanted to speak with my ancestors for the maximum amount of time possible, from dusk to dawn, I needed to move fast.

The lake hadn't yet frozen over, but instead lapped at the pebbles underpaw as we made our way past WindClan territory. The water, albeit icy to the touch, melted the snow around the lake anyway, replacing it with slippery wetness that would probably freeze overnight, sending unwary cats splashing into the lake. _Bluepaw might have to treat a couple ear infections before we get back,_ I thought, suppressing a chuckle.

The sun had slipped halfway down the sky by the time we reached SkyClan's unfamiliar scent markers. I looked ahead nervously, spotting the stream winding through the deciduous forest ahead. I wondered if Rockstar would be mad we were trespassing. Then again, he _was_ our ally. If the triplets' alliance was any model, allies could basically walk all over each other's territories without any questions being asked.

Ripplefur and I began padding up through the trees alongside the stream. It was odd to feel shadows dappling my fur after the constant sun of the lakeside moor. The cool caresses reminded me of the approaching night and I sped up, bounding alongside the stream. If only we could get there before sundown…

"What in StarClan's name do you think you're doing?" came an angry voice from overhead. I skidded to a halt, staring all around for its source. I didn't have to wait long to find out, however, as a few heartbeats later a cat dropped from a branch, blocking my path. She glared at me, hostile as a fox.

I scrambled to keep my cool. I had every right to be here, after all. Lifting my chin, I meowed, "I am Mossystar of River—"

"Yeah, yeah," the she-cat broke in impatiently. "I know who you are. You're not SkyClan, you're in our territory, so we get to take you prisoner."

" _What—_ "

The she-cat signaled and four other cats dropped from all around us, leaping down from branches or shimmying down trunks. I glanced quickly around to see four sets of unsheathed claws, four pairs of glinting eyes, four bushy tails.

I struggled to remember the lead she-cat's name. Wasn't she the deputy? I should know this! "Mintfur!" I burst out. I paused, looking uncertainly at her to make sure I'd gotten the name right.

The she-cat flicked her tail. "Yes?" she asked coolly.

 _I was right._ Breathing out a sigh of relief, I continued, "My medicine cat and I are on our way to—"

"Save it for Rockstar," Mintfur hissed.

"But we're in a hurry!" I argued, frustration boiling beneath my pelt. If I was held up much longer here I'd have to start sprinting to make it in time.

"Then go around our territory," Mintfur meowed unhelpfully. "Right now you're coming with us."

I dug my claws into the ground in anger, but there was nothing I could do. I could waste three or so lives beating back the patrol, but what would that accomplish? I'd still be late for the Moonpool. Ripplefur might even get hurt—he couldn't fight as well, having not had the proper training. I had no choice but to go along with the SkyClan patrol and hope for the best.

"Fine," I muttered, glaring at her. "A fine way to treat your allies, taking them prisoner."

Mintfur snorted. "If it's not officially recognized by both leaders, it's not in place." She turned and led the way through the forest, following a path invisible to my untrained eyes. Beside and behind us, the other four warriors jostled Ripplefur and me, pushing us forward. I almost stumbled over an exposed tree root but caught myself, lifting my head proudly. I was still the leader of RiverClan, no matter how many times other Clans thought they could take me hostage.

The journey probably wasn't actually that long, but painfully aware as I was of the sunlight constantly slipping away, it felt much longer. I even went as far as stepping purposefully on Mintfur's tail to see if it would encourage her to walk a little faster. After throwing a glare over her shoulder, she complied.

We reached the camp, a stand of thick trees surrounded by thick clumps of bushes. I was surprised; it really wasn't much of a proper camp and probably would be easy to attack. Why had the SkyClan cats picked this particular spot for a camp?

Maybe there weren't any other good spots for camps in this territory. It was made up mainly of leftover ThunderClan and WindClan territory, after all. Maybe the SkyClan cats had to make do with sleeping in trees.

As we approached I saw a dark-furred cat leap out of a tree. Rockstar. Butterflies suddenly swarmed my intestines and I swallowed hard. What had I been thinking to just walk through another Clan's territory! I'd probably doomed any chance I could have had of forging an alliance with SkyClan. Now Rockstar would ally himself with the trio and I'd be left to fend for myself. Again.

"What is this?" he demanded, stalking over to us, his eyes flitting between Mintfur to me to Ripplefur.

"My patrol caught these two trespassing on our territory," Mintfur reported. I glanced at her and saw her self-satisfied smirk, turned as she was to hide it from Rockstar.

"But you were a hunting patrol," Rockstar growled, glaring at his deputy as though he could see right through her muzzle to that smirk. "I told you specifically not to go near the borders as that might spike unnecessary tension with the other Clans!"

"We didn't go anywhere _near_ the borders, Rockstar!" Mintfur protested. "No, these two thought it would be fun to walk right through the middle of our territory!"

Rockstar turned his icy glare on us instead. "Is this true?" he asked, his deadly calm voice a betrayal of his growing anger.

I almost swallowed, but managed to keep face for him. Instead, I mirrored his earlier cool stare. "My medicine cat and I are on our way to the Moonpool to speak with our ancestors," I meowed loftily. "We are under StarClan's protection and have every right to travel through whatever territory needed to reach our destination."

Rockstar didn't move. Though his expression didn't change, I got the feeling he was thinking hard. His face had that frozen look Troutstream told me I got whenever faced with a problem I didn't readily have a solution for.

"In the old forest it was WindClan who had to bear the passing through of other Clans," I meowed in a softer tone. "Now it looks as though that task has fallen to you."

Rockstar glared at me and I stepped back, scared I'd said something wrong. "Who had it before?" he spat.

"Um—WindClan and ThunderClan," I stammered. Immediately after, I cursed myself. Why did I have to start stuttering now? I took a deep breath and continued. "They shared it. The stream I traveled along was their border."

Rockstar turned away, twitching his tail in irritation. After a long pause during which I waited, heart in my throat, he finally meowed, "Very well. You may pass through our territory unhindered."

I breathed out in relief, but Rockstar wasn't finished yet. "If I ever catch you strolling through my territory again without the excuse of a Moonpool visit, however, you will be taken here again as a prisoner."

I clenched my teeth in shock. "I thought… we were allies," I said in a low voice.

Rockstar snorted. "Allies? Yes. If one of us is attacked the other will come to their aid. But allies don't go for walks to each other's camps. We are separate Clans, after all."

I nodded hastily and backed away, beckoning to Ripplefur to follow. As we padded out of camp, I had to force myself to walk at a normal speed rather than racing to _get out get time to think_ , aware as I was of all of SkyClan staring after me. As soon as I exited the camp and rounded a clump of thick bushes, however, I broke into an all-out sprint, pounding through the trees toward the Moonpool.

So this was what being allies meant. I wondered if the trio knew. I wondered if even now they were all catching up over a nice, long hunt on ThunderClan territory. I hissed to myself. They weren't proper leaders at all. I wondered what would happen—what _could_ happen—to finally drive them apart like the good leaders they should be.

* * *

 **So THAT'S what being allies means! I think everyone's trying to figure this out as SkyClan and RiverClan were off living by themselves for so long and, well, the trio is the trio. They aren't going to break up that easily.**

 **AOTD: I think Aspensplash is being really obvious about her crush, but maybe that's a good thing. It lets Rainstar know she's interested, whether or not he is.**

 **QOTD: I'm going to the Bahamas soon! What are your opinions on islands? Do you like them or think they're scary or just too much sand or what?**


	12. A Second Gathering

**Whoo, 2.658 words in total! :) Somewhat long for my recent few chapters.**

 **I probably won't post after this for a little while. ;-; I'll need some time to work up some inspiration plus school starts next week, so... yeah, I'll have work and stuff to do for that. But I might get some time to write over my vacay, so there's a chance I might post something before the weekend after next. Knowing me, probably not, though. xD (I'm kinda lazy if you didn't already know that)**

 **QLKwriter: *sings* For the first time in forever... Sorry, you got that song stuck in my head. xD I've never been to Virginia Beach but I've heard it's really crowded because like everyone in the area goes there. When I went to the beach as a kid I generally went to more southern beaches like the Outer Banks and Florida. I've always liked body boarding on waves, but it's not so fun when the waves are tiny and you don't go anywhere.**

 **ShadowHawk540: Mossystar's kind of paranoid about being attacked by the trio's Clans all at once because they're so obviously allied and she's got no Clans to back her up if she needs help. Then here comes SkyClan and she jumps at her chance to secure an ally. So if she now loses them she'd be back in her tough spot from before. So kind of unrealistic, but paranoid all the same. :) It's not so much a secret, but I don't think I've mentioned it too many times, so I'm not too surprised you didn't pick up on it. I'll probably try to make that clearer in chapters to come.**

 **EmilyOwl1: Brightkit sounds so cute! *squees* Did you know that a character called Brightspirit was actually mentioned in the canon books? She was based off of a Warriors fan who died in a tornado or something and she briefly spoke to Jayfeather (I didn't put in a spoiler because you said earlier you'd read The Last Hope, so I figured you knew Jay's warrior name). But yeah, Brightkit could probably have that same name as Brightspirit was a really small character. :)**

 **Willowdream of ForestClan: I'm thinking about starting posting actual photos on my DA, so I might try to put some Bahamas pictures up if you want. ^^ A few years back my family went to Italy and man, those taxi drivers! ^^; Yeah, I'll be sure to watch out for them! I'm excited to go swimming there, but as my hotel has like a gazillion pools and is right next to the ocean, I figure I'll probably be sick of water by the time I get back next Tuesday.**

* * *

 **Rockstar's POV**

As Mossystar and Ripplefur left the camp, I had to stop and stare after them. What were the other Clans' views on alliances? Had I gotten it all wrong? SkyClan had, after all, lived by itself for seasons. Had we forgotten the meaning of allies? Was, perhaps, Mossystar mentally raging at us for not knowing what being allies meant?

I sighed, turning away from the entrance, or at least the main thoroughfare out of camp. Cats could literally walk right through any of the camp "walls" at any point in time. This was such a stupid camp. It wasn't even a real camp. I missed the gorge.

"Rockstar?" I glanced up to see Frecklewish, eyes shining in worry, framed by a graying muzzle and face. She was getting on in years. We all were.

"What?" I asked wearily.

"I think you handled that situation well," she meowed. I looked up, startled. "I spoke with our ancestors last night," she confessed. "They told me our alliances would be tested before I slept again." She gazed toward the entrance. "I guess that was the test."

No sooner had those words left her lips than I heard a rustling amongst the branches at the edge of camp. I bounded toward the sound, scanning the foliage. SkyClan cats knew where the entrance was. Who was trying to get into camp here?

Three cats pushed through the foliage. I recognized one immediately—it was Sootstar. I groaned to myself; why did every single leader around the lake _have_ to come to my camp in the same day? Mossystar, fine, but Mossystar _and_ Sootstar? That was getting a bit extreme!

"Rockstar, we have an announcement to make," Sootstar proclaimed.

"You just made one," I muttered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, please continue."

Sootstar eyed me suspiciously but did as I asked. "All five Clans will be meeting at an emergency Gathering tonight on the island," he meowed. "This meeting is called due to an incident occurring on ThunderClan territory that I think all Clans need to address."

I blinked. But Mossystar was going to the Moonpool tonight! How would that work out? "Er… couldn't it wait until tomorrow night?" I asked uncertainly.

"Why?"

I bit my lip. Something told me I shouldn't tell Sootstar about Mossystar's recent visit. If he didn't already know, he wasn't about to find out. "SkyClan matters," I said curtly, hoping my voice didn't convey the uncertainty I felt.

Sootstar held my gaze for a heartbeat or two, then dipped his head. "Very well," he meowed. "I suppose it is too much to ask of the other Clans to gather tonight. Tomorrow it is, then." He shot me a hard stare. "But tomorrow at the very latest. I assure you, this is news of extreme importance."

I dipped my head. "Tomorrow," I promised.

Nodding once, Sootstar turned and, flicking his tail at his Clanmates, made to exit. Just as he was about to exit the camp again, though, he turned and looked back over his shoulder. "Would you let Rainstar know?"

I blinked, startled. "Don't you want to tell him yourself? It'd give you just another opportunity to see your _precious brother_ ," I added sarcastically.

Sootstar narrowed his eyes. "Clan before blood," he growled. "I won't let my siblings distract me from my own Clan. I can't afford to let them down."

Dipping my head once again, I didn't reply, unsure of what to say. After a few heartbeats, I murmured, "I'll let him know if I run into one of his patrols. If tomorrow comes without any contact I'll visit his camp personally."

Nodding his thanks, Sootstar leaped out through his makeshift entrance, his two Clanmates following him.

I took a deep breath. If Cinderstar waltzed into camp right now I was going to claw someone. I needed to focus on getting my Clan back together again.

* * *

I stood at the top of the pebbly beach, watching as WindClan crossed the bridge ahead. The last couple apprentices had just stepped onto the tree. It was almost time to go.

Glancing back at my Clan, I glanced over who I'd decided to bring. There were Mintfur and Frecklewish, obviously, as well as Bouncefire, Rabbitleap, Plumwillow, Sandyleg, Harrypaw, and Firepaw. A good amount of cats, all hopefully mature enough to deal with whatever was coming. Glancing ahead, I saw the bridge was clear. So, lifting my tail, I bounded down the beach to cross the lake.

As I pushed my way through the foliage on the other side, I caught the scents of all four other Clans. I gritted my teeth. Of course SkyClan was late. SkyClan, the new Clan, the Clan that needed a good impression above all the others, was late. Great.

"Rockstar!" Mossystar hurried to greet us. She glanced at me, then bit her lip and looked away, unsure of herself.

I padded over to her. "Are you still interested in being our ally?" I asked in a low voice.

"Yes," she meowed, straightening. I marveled at how strong she looked, even as confused and lost as she must feel. She truly was a remarkable leader, probably the most qualified out of all of us. I was glad she was still interested in allying her Clan with mine, even after what had happened yesterday. Giving her a quick smile, I bounded back to my Clan just in time to lead them forward into the clearing like a proper leader should.

Sootstar waited impatiently on the Great Tree, Cinderstar beside him. I clawed my way effortlessly up the tree, followed by Rainstar, who to my surprise perched on a branch directly below mine. I hadn't known a WindClan cat could be such a good climber.

"Let all the Clans gather!" Sootstar yowled as Mossystar settled onto the lowest branch, her webbed paws unsuited for the rough bark. Below, all five Clans padded closer together, forming one mass of fur. Peering down through the crisscrossing sticks of a branch, I saw the Clans mixing together. Or at least, all the Clans but SkyClan.

"Many of you might have questions about why I called this urgent Gathering," Sootstar began, pacing on his branch. Cinderstar hung on tightly with her claws to avoid being bounced off. "Well, here's why. Two sunrises ago, one of my patrols found a giant pile of crowfood on our territory."

Gasps emanated from below. I myself stared at him, confused. Wasn't prey exceptionally scarce this Leafbare? How could any cat get their paws on such a large amount of prey? And why, for StarClan's sake, wouldn't they just eat it?

"We have yet to discover the culprit. I'm afraid the rotting stench overpowered any cat-scent there may have been. However," he hesitated, staring down into the lake of cats, "if any cat, any _Clan_ here had anything to do with this, take note. They will be caught, and they will be punished most severely. In doing this, you have caused much suffering and even possible deaths." He glared at the cats. "Was it really worth it?"

Silence followed his words. My mind reeled—did Sootstar really think another Clan had something to do with this? Did he, perhaps, think _SkyClan_ had done this?

"Quit accusing us!"

A voice rang out from below. I searched the crowd of upturned faces, expecting to see one of his Clanmates' narrowed eyes glaring up at us. Instead, I realized it was a WindClan cat.

"Blossomstep," Rainstar called, standing up, "Sootstar didn't mean to accuse any particular Clan. He just meant in general."

"Yeah, right," scoffed another. This time it really was a SkyClan cat.

I glared down at Harrypaw. "Open your mouth again and you'll find yourself cleaning Tinycloud's nest for the next moon."

But other voices were speaking out too, adding to the clamor. The Gathering was dissolving. I saw a shadow drifting across the ground and glanced up to see a pale cloud drifting slowly across the moon. _StarClan doesn't like unrest at Gatherings,_ I thought. _I guess this would qualify as unrest at Gatherings._

"It could have been a rogue!" I called, leaping to my paws.

"Why accuse the other Clans?" Mossystar demanded, glaring at Sootstar. "It causes this! We should be working together!"

"Would Ashthorn have wanted us to fight like this?" Cinderstar hissed, her voice barely audible over the tumult from below. I quickly clawed my way across the tree to a spot nearer to them, cursing the lack of cloaking, leafy branches. At least my darker pelt might blend in with the sky. I wasn't sure if Cinderstar and Sootstar would want me eavesdropping. But maybe this was my chance to learn what, exactly, was the past of these cats.

"Ashthorn?" Sootstar asked quietly. Through a tangle of twigs I saw his eyes darken. "You would bring up Ashthorn now? What has he got to do with this? He's dead. His time is over. It's _our_ time to rule, and we will rule without him!"

"Oh, Sootstar, this is stupid!" Cinderstar exclaimed, not troubling to keep her voice down anymore. "He's our father. We should have a good relationship with him like we do Lightwing. What did he ever do to require _this_ , this treatment lasting seasons? Sootstar, this isn't like you to hold grudges like this!"

"You must have mixed me up with Rainstar," Sootstar growled, turning away. "That soft tom wouldn't be able to hold a proper grudge, much less lead his Clan without the aid of his senior warriors. Honestly, I bet he runs to them to solve his every problem."

Cinderstar lashed out at him. "Cut it out!" she hissed. "Where's my brother? What have you done with him?"

"It's over, Cinderstar. Us? The trio? It's gone. We're solitary leaders now, and there's nothing we can do to stop it. We can't depend on each other anymore." He turned away from Cinderstar. Edging along my branch, I saw tears trickle out of the corners of his eyes. What was going on?

Cinderstar reached out a paw, hesitated, then placed it back on the cold, damp branch without speaking. She turned and shimmied down the tree trunk. "ShadowClan is leaving!" she called.

"So is RiverClan!" Mossystar shot one last fiery glare at Sootstar, then leaped down into the snow.

"WindClan! To me!" Rainstar cast one last look back at his brother before lifting his tail and following the other two Clans to the barrier of bushes.

I bounded down the tree trunk a little ways before calling to my own Clan. As I headed for the line to the tree-bridge back to the mainland, I turned and gazed back at Sootstar. He still sat unmoving in the tree, head bowed. I wondered if he regretted his outburst. Still, maybe it was for the best. The littermates needed to split up before they could ally themselves properly again.

* * *

The shadowy figures of four cats slipped away from their respective Clans, stalking through the thick foliage toward the far side of the island. They waited for the Clans to leave before speaking in low, hurried whispers.

"The fifth Clan. Who would have thought?" the cat from WindClan rumbled.

The ShadowClan representative snorted. "Not me."

The ThunderClan cat nudged her with her shoulder. "Quit messing around! We have limited time before our Clanmates realize we're gone!" She turned to the RiverClan she-cat. "Have you been able to steal your Clan's prey efficiently?"

RiverClan nodded. "They never suspected a thing," she purred.

"And you?" ThunderClan turned to ShadowClan.

"Yes," ShadowClan replied meekly, apparently humbled from her earlier scolding.

"Good," ThunderClan said, satisfied. "However, I do have bad news. Sootstar discovered the pile of prey. It is now in our territory since we've expanded and I haven't been able to get away to move it since."

Hisses of dismay came from the other three cats. "I would have helped, but SkyClan's in the way," WindClan complained. "I helped you catch that prey in the first place."

"Exactly," ThunderClan growled, twitching her tail. "It is why we need a SkyClan representative. They might be able to help us out, bring down SkyClan too. It is unfortunate we don't know them too well, though. We don't know who would accept our offer and who would run to Rockstar."

"I met a cat tonight," ShadowClan ventured. "He seemed all right at first but I saw something—a quick glance toward another cat, maybe his brother. It was almost as if he were jealous of him."

WindClan looked thoughtful. "I might have seen that cat too," he said. "I didn't talk to him though. Did you get a name?"

ShadowClan shook her head. "But I know what he looks like," she promised. "Tomorrow night we can initiate him, perhaps. We will all sleep deeply after our late-night Gathering tonight."

RiverClan grinned. "I would offer to help him out, but I'm across the lake. I would, however, be willing to begin the next part of our plan."

"Not yet," ThunderClan warned. "We need to wait for our leader's signal. He will let us know when. Plus, we need to get that SkyClan cat into our group."

ShadowClan and WindClan nodded ascent. "I would be willing to train the new recruit," WindClan offered. "My territory is directly next to his."

ThunderClan nodded. "Good, good. It might be difficult for me to have extra time to relay our plans _and_ move the fresh-kill."

"Do we still need to move it?" ShadowClan asked, confused. "They know it's there."

"But if we want to confuse them still more," ThunderClan meowed slyly, "what then? What if all the prey is _magically_ moved in one night?"

"And then they think it's the Dark Forest and the Dark Forest alone," RiverClan chipped in, her voice rising slightly from excitement. "Genius."

"I still don't get—" ShadowClan began, but ThunderClan cut her off.

"They won't suspect their own Clanmates are turning on them," she hissed. "Don't you see? They'll try to get their Clans to come together instead of looking out for traitors. They'll turn a blind eye to our every move. Then, when we finally reveal ourselves to them, they'll finally piece it together in their dumb minds, but by then it will be too late. Those idiots will never see it coming." She laughed.

"Time to go, I think," WindClan meowed, glancing at the sky. "I'll be missed." He dashed off around the edge of the clearing, tail whisking out of sight amongst the brambles.

"Yeah, I'd better go too," RiverClan meowed with an exaggerated sigh. "I've got a long walk back home."

"Same here," ShadowClan muttered. "Coming?"

"Yeah," ThunderClan meowed. "But… just a moment." She paused while the other two followed WindClan out around the bushes, as if waiting for something. Or someone.

A fifth cat pushed his way out of the bushes, his pelt translucent against the dark leaves behind him. ThunderClan turned, a smile curving across her muzzle. "Leader," she purred, dipping her head. "You heard it all?"

"I did indeed," he meowed. "You did well leading that conversation. I'm glad the cat with the most leadership is in ThunderClan. With _Sootstar._ " Even in the dark, ThunderClan could see his lip curling.

"When will our plan be enacted?" she asked.

"When the Clans go to war against each other," Leader replied smoothly.

"But that could take a long time!" ThunderClan protested, biting her lip. "Shouldn't it be sooner?"

Leader tilted his head. "Perhaps," he murmured. "If the Clans do not go to war within the next half moon, we will put our plan into action regardless. It has to be soon or you four will be discovered soon."

"Five, soon enough," ThunderClan grinned. "Do you approve of our choice?"

"That tom is indeed… troubled," Leader agreed. "He will make a fine recruit." He smirked, teeth poking out from beneath his lip. "The Clans had better watch out. I'm coming back."

* * *

 **Sootstar's getting violent! And there's a secret meeting...**

 **AOTD: I think islands are cool as long as you can still get off. I like beaches as long as there are large (ish) waves and I don't get a sunburn. You could say I have mixed feelings about them. :) But I'm excited for my trip!**

 **QOTD: Who do you think the SkyClan recruit is?**


	13. Rising Tension Again

**Gah, school started and is currently death. *-* Homework is killing me slowly... I didn't have any time to write really since I got back from my trip. This chapter (and probably chapters from now on) is shorter, only about 1,200 words. But I figured I'd better get it out as I haven't updated in like 2 weeks.**

 **Nightbird1648: Yeah, both of them would be options. I can see why you're not sure, I only gave out the information that the cat is a tom and from SkyClan.**

 **Leopardfire2002: You seem pretty sure of Bouncefire. Most other people thought it was one cat or another, not one in particular. Any reason why? :3**

 **QLKwriter: Yeah, I tried to make it like Cinderstar had matured but Sootstar was held back by his grudge. And it would be ironic if SkyClan saved them seeing as Sootstar originally thought they were the ones stealing the fresh-kill.**

 **ShadowHawk540: Just because he spoke out doesn't mean he's evil... Any other reasons or do you just feel like it's him?**

 **Writing With A Smile: Cool new username! :) Originally I didn't recognize you but then I looked at your profile and realized you were actually EradrinSkyleaf. xD Glad your camp was amazing and life changing! Mine was too ^^**

 **EmilyOwl1: That's a lot of books! ^^; I think I've read most of the super editions, some manga, and a couple books into the fifth series. And yeah, Nettlesplash's brothers are Rabbitleap and Creekfeather. **

**Willowdream of ForestClan: Are you still doing that? ^^; If you aren't I understand but if you are I'd love to see it! And yeah, sorry it took me so long to update so I think your review time is pretty good comparatively. **

* * *

**Sootstar's POV**

Half a moon had passed since the Gathering. I sat under the Highledge, washing my paws. They were clean and had been for a little while now, but I dreaded putting them back down on the cold earth.

Dawnshine waddled over, her soft gray fur a shade lighter than the snow. "If you don't stop licking your paws, all your fur will fall out," she joked, sitting heavily beside me.

Wincing at the cold, I finally put my paw back down. Dawnshine had apparently waited until most of the Clan could see before telling me she was pregnant. In the time since she'd grown alarmingly wide, and Goldenwing had pronounced only last night that the kits would be soon in coming.

"More mouths to feed," she had remarked worriedly.

"Dawnshine eats enough for all of them already," I had joked, nuzzling her. Goldenwing had told us we were having two, maybe three kits, though one might be hiding behind the others. I'd suggested naming one Featherkit after Featherpaw, but Dawnshine was insistent that the name of Feather be unique to her sister. I didn't press the issue, as I'd found out the hard way earlier she was much more emotional whilst pregnant.

Rustpelt bounded over, his russet fur dusted with snow, giving the impression of an elder's graying pelt. "I'm taking a couple cats out hunting," he reported. "If any cat has any questions regarding patrols, they'll come to you for the afternoon."

"Sounds good," I nodded. "Good hunting."

"Thanks," Rustpelt grinned. He glanced briefly at Dawnshine and added, "Hope your kits are doing well!" then trotted away again.

"He's always working for the Clan, it seems," I murmured.

Dawnshine snorted. "Yeah, and nosing into other cats' conversations. Hasn't he ever heard of waiting at a respectful distance?"

"Hey be nice!" I chided, nudging her with my shoulder. "We weren't talking or anything. We were just sitting here. Plus, hunting patrols do need to go out. Our fresh-kill pile is always low nowadays." The addition of the new territory was extremely beneficial, but even that had recently begun to run dry. Our daily rations were getting lower and lower each sunrise.

Something ran into me, jolting me for the second time out of my musings. Glancing down, I saw Maplekit, Amberwing's brown-and-cream she-kit, blinking up at me in a stunned sort of way. _No wonder,_ I thought to myself. _To her, I must be like the side of camp. She's so much smaller than her brothers. Running into me would definitely take a moment to recover from._

"Hello, kits," Dawnshine purred.

"Hi Dawnshine!" Sunkit meowed, bouncing past his sister on his toes, tail in the air. "Guess what?"

"What?"

"Hey, Amberwing said _I_ could tell her!" Birchkit, the largest of the three kits, tackled his brother, pinning him to the snowy ground. They tussled there for a moment, kicking up snow.

Dodging a pawful of snow, I suggested, "How about you tell Amberwing, Birchkit, and you can tell me, Sunkit?"

Sunkit's head shot up. "Yeah!" he agreed.

Birchkit still seemed rather sullen, but rolled off his brother anyway. "Fine," he grumbled.

I raised my eyebrows. " _Or_ you could let Sunkit tell both of us," I offered. Sunkit grinned.

Birchkit's eyes widened in horror. "Uh, no, I'd much prefer the first one," he stammered, looking scared. I stared at him for a moment, and he added, "Th-Thanks."

I smiled and Birchkit relaxed. "Okay then, if you really do want that." I looked over at Sunkit. "Okay, what is it?"

Sunkit opened his mouth but Birchkit flicked his tail over it, muffling his brother's voice. "I get to tell Dawnshine first!" he complained.

Sunkit looked sullen but didn't object. "Sootstar, don't listen," he pleaded. I turned away and pretended not to hear as Birchkit took a deep breath and blurted out, "Amberwing said we should be getting our apprentice names soon!"

"Amberwing said we should be getting our apprentice names soon!" Sunkit echoed. I stared at him intently, ears shoved forward, exaggerating my attention to him. He giggled a little at my reaction, amber eyes dancing.

"Wow, really?" I asked, startled. She hadn't spoken to me about it at all.

"Yeah, we're right around our sixth moon!" Maplekit interjected, padding forward to stand in front of me. "Amberwing said you must be figuring out our mentors by now!" She shyly scooted up closer to me and whispered, "Can you tell me who mine will be?"

I forced a smile to cover my uncertainty. "Not yet, Maplekit, you have to be patient," I chided gently. "I'll tell you during your ceremony, okay?"

"Oh. Okay." Maplekit backed away, turning back to her brothers. "Guess what?" she asked enthusiastically, leaping up and down in her excitement.

"What?" Sunkit asked, Birchkit echoing a heartbeat after. "What?"

"I know a top-secret apprentice battle move," Maplekit meowed smugly.

"What?" Birchkit appeared flabbergasted. "But we don't _have_ any apprentices!"

"I was watching Iceheart practicing with Robinchest," she boasted. "Watch me." She dashed off across the clearing, heading for the edge of camp. Birchkit and Sunkit skidded after her, paws slipping on the packed-down snow. Upon reaching the side of camp, Maplekit suddenly leaped up, bounding off the stone and twisting in midair. But her tail was too short and she lost her balance and, paws flailing wildly, hit the ground on her back.

"Smooth," Birchkit snorted.

"I was meant to land on my paws," Maplekit shot back grumpily, staggering upright again. "Or maybe on your _back_." Birchkit leaped at her in retaliation.

"Maplekit really is a different kit around her littermates," I meowed, recalling her shy demeanor when talking to me. "Maybe she should have a mentor who knows her well."

"Like you?" Dawnshine rolled her eyes. "Don't tell me you haven't figured out their mentors yet."

I laughed. "Would it matter if I said no?"

"Well in this state I can't attack you or anything," Dawnshine grumbled, nosing her belly fur. "I wish these kits would just come. I'm getting impat—"

"Sootstar! Sootstar!" I glanced up to see Rustpelt dashing toward me.

"What now?" Dawnshine muttered.

Rustpelt slid to a halt in front of me, breaths coming in gasps. "I… the territory…"

"Slow down!" I ordered sternly. "Catch your breath. Then tell me."

"No time!" Rustpelt said urgently. "No…" He heaved a deep breath, then continued in a slightly more under control voice. "Scents. All across the territory. Other Clans."

" _What?_ "

"The other Clans' scents are tracked… tracked all across our territory!" Rustpelt insisted. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Dawnshine paying close attention, eyes narrowed.

"What does it mean?" I muttered, standing abruptly. "What…"

"I know," Rustpelt meowed grimly. "It… It didn't make sense to the hunting patrol either. But they're there and we have to deal with them." He sounded almost back to normal now. I marveled at his recovery speed. If _I'd_ run across half the forest to get back to camp, I'd certainly take longer to catch my breath.

I clenched my teeth, sinking my claws into the ground in frustration. What in StarClan did this mean? _What?_ Had the other Clans perhaps crisscrossed our territory to find prey? But they could easily have gone away from the lake into unclaimed territory for that, why spike up Clan tensions?

"We need to figure out if this happened with other Clans," I meowed finally. "If it's a common issue, we might be able to figure this out together. But if it's just us, then…" I picked up a paw, letting clumps of earth fall to the ground. "We might just be involved in the start of a war."

* * *

 **Sorry that was rushed. ^^; Wanted to get a chapter out.**

 **QOTD: Who do you think Amberwing's kits' mentors will be?**


	14. Author's Note

**Hullo again! It's me, Snowfall, checking in to confirm that I am indeed not dead, thankfully.**

 **I'm so sorry for not updating for this long! I meant to update several weeks ago and even wrote out most of Chapter 12, but I haven't had time to finish. This is due to multiple reasons, namely homework. As I am taking four AP classes this year, I expected the workload to increase dramatically. Yes, it can be tough at times, but honestly, I should have time to do stuff like write! Sadly, my time is being sucked slowly, surely away.**

 ***is proud that, despite exhaustion, she managed to end a paragraph dramatically***

 **But yeah, so why is so much of my time being taken up if not completely by homework? Well, that would be because I do most of my writing on weekends, but last weekend was taken up with college touring, then lying on the couch, exhausted, for a day. This weekend I have a field trip for Environmental Science (we're going to a beach somewhere to do some environment testing I think). Next weekend I have an SAT. The weekend after is Homecoming. I should have time to write after the SAT and around Homecoming, so that shouldn't mess up my schedule much, but this weekend will be figurative death for me.**

 **Going back to that bit about lying on the couch exhausted, which really didn't make much sense at all, I've been struggling with some sort of thing that makes me extremely tired. For instance, yesterday I crashed on the couch at about 8:15, stayed up because of the possibility of getting some more homework done. Then, after I finally got up to go to bed and realized it was 9 and therefore I was going to get to bed around 10 (I shower at night and for some reason getting showered and ready takes me 45 minutes), I started sobbing because I knew I wasn't getting to bed early, I was getting to bed at a relatively normal time if I was feeling relatively normal, which I wasn't. I'd be super tired in the morning (I actually was, this morning I could barely get out of bed). I've been crying pretty regularly every day this week out of tiredness, even when I don't actually feel that tired. I have no clue what's going on.**

 **So my doctor either thinks I should stop taking my birth control pills (took them because my periods lasted 3 weeks, not for any other reason) or I have sleep apnea or something, even though it's actually more likely my brother has sleep apnea as he groans and possibly stops breathing at times during the night. But another possibility is that I have a form of reverse diabetes called hypoglycemia. You could probably look it up, but to save you the trouble, it basically means I have to make sure my blood sugar doesn't get too low, so I have to eat pretty constantly throughout the day. If I don't eat enough or if I eat too many carbs or too much sugar (and I love carbs so ehh) I crash on the couch with a headache and am too tired to move for at least half an hour.**

* * *

 **So I'm sorry for the block-paragraph rant, but I figured you'd want an explanation for why I haven't been posting chapters lately. Hopefully I'll be able to add on the last 500 or so words on Chapter 12 and I can post it. But, yeah, my schedule is kind of freaking me out a little and I keep getting more and more tired and everything. Sorry if you thought this was a chapter, I promise I'll get it out soon! xD**

 **This series is not dead, and it is not on hold. It is neither because if I declare it as such I'll stop working on it. However, it is unlikely I'll update again in the next week, week and a half or so. Sorry about that, but as people are generally understanding I'm sure you won't mind. :) (right?)**

 **And sorry if the style of writing in this chapter bugs you. This is more of a brain splat than a chapter and this is how I talk. So, yeah, hope it doesn't bug you too much.**


	15. Telling the Other Clans

**I managed to finish it! :D**

 **So I took your advice and decided to smush Cinderstar's and Rainstar's POVs together. Still about the same length, I'm afraid, but hopefully a little faster moving? Maybe?**

 **Sorry about this, but I'm going to answer the reviews not so thoroughly because I need to do homework and stuff and I don't think you'd really care much anyhow because you wrote those like a month ago... o-o**

 **Queen Eradrin: Popsicles... XD Did you get one? Or maybe can you just not remember? It's been awhile since you wrote that review...**

 **Leopardstar2002: Bouncefire would be an option...**

 **Willowdream of ForestClan: I might've replied to your second review? Anyway, I think you should try drawing Sootstar and Maplekit again, if you have time! ;)**

 **QLKwriter: Have you stayed in the habit of no guest reviews since your review about a month ago? That would be pretty awesome if you did, since it would mean extreme non-laziness. :)**

 **ShadowHawk540: I didn't think your review was inconsiderate, don't worry. :) Procrastination doesn't run in my family but sometimes I get huge waves of it and other times I'm so motivated and I do it all and then feel wonderful but then procrastination sets back in... eh.**

 **Nightbird1648: Thanks. :) It means a lot that I've gotten such supportive reviews from everyone, including you.**

 **RANDOM PERSON: Hey, thanks for getting me to post that author's note! I'd quite forgotten it had been an entire month. o3o**

 **EmilyOwl1: Yeah, Rustpelt's the deputy though so he probably should have an apprentice soon.**

 **ilovewarriorcats: I'm a junior in high school, so death year full of homework, or so the stereotype tells me. But hopefully I can keep up with posting new chapters anyway, despite my mountain of homework. :)**

* * *

 **Cinderstar's POV**

I sat stiffly in the center of the clearing as Sparrowtalon and a patrol of warriors led Sootstar into the camp. As my eyes roved over his broad shoulders, his fluffy tail, I couldn't help but remember the time when we were kits and he pretended to fall asleep to save my pride as I went to make dirt late at night. How he'd pulled me out of that icy river.

But then, staring into his eyes, I realized I couldn't see Sootkit or Sootpaw there anymore. He was Sootstar. And he was no longer my brother. The coldness like a layer of ice over his eyes told me that plainly enough.

Taking a deep breath, I meowed in a loud, clear voice, "What is the purpose of this visit, Sootstar?"

Sootstar paused before me, dipping his head slightly as one leader to another. My throat closed up a little to see him so formal. I was his _sister_ , for StarClan's sake! At least give me one small smile!

"My warriors have found something rather suspicious in ThunderClan's territory I believe all Clans should know about," Sootstar responded emotionlessly. "We woke this morning to a mess of scent trails crisscrossing our territory. They were from other Clans."

I blinked. "Huh. My warriors found that too. Strange." I frowned. "How could they have gotten there?"

Sootstar looked away in disdain. "I have decided to call a meeting of all five Clans. We must discuss this odd occurrence."

I almost bristled at his formal words, his uncaring tone. Then I realized he might be _trying_ to get me angry, that it would make him seem better than me. For a heartbeat, I almost dismissed it as something he couldn't possibly think to do; caring Sootstar would never try to seem better than his littermates! But then I remembered our fight. Apparently Sootstar, _leader of ThunderClan_ , couldn't possibly stoop to considering a ShadowClan cat his sister.

Well then, I'd just have to match his attitude. Give him a little of the same treatment and see how he feels. Lifting my chin, I stared down at him as best I could—he was almost as tall as me now—and said loftily, "Very well. I am sure you are rather tired from your journey into ShadowClan territory, so I will send a messenger to RiverClan and alert them of this arrangement."

Sootstar dipped his head again. "With all due respect, I have already sent a message. I ensured both SkyClan and WindClan knew of our Gathering, and taking into consideration WindClan's excellent stamina, asked Rainstar if he might send a message to Mossystar in my stead. I expect RiverClan is already aware of it."

Of course he'd leave me for last. Doing my best to keep my claws sheathed, I nodded stiffly and stood to indicate our meeting was over. Sootstar did likewise. "Until tonight, then, Cinderstar," he meowed and turned, padding regally back across the clearing. I nodded to Mistheart and Sparrowtalon to accompany him to the border, then turned away, letting out a long, annoyed sigh. _How could he have changed so quickly?_ I thought desperately. _We're littermates! I should know why he's doing this._ I paused, then: _I wish we had our mind-speak back. I wish we could trade it for our nine lives._

 _But if I didn't have my lives, I'd already be dead._ I didn't want to think about that. I started walking, not really caring where my paws took me as long as it was something for them to do. Maybe walking would keep my mind occupied enough to keep from thinking about Sootstar.

The medicine den loomed in front of me. Fox dung, I didn't mean to come here! It'd just remind me of my lost life. I turned to pad away.

"Cinderstar! You've come to see me!" I glanced back around to see Foxtooth peering excitedly out of the den, still lying in his mossy nest.

Sighing to myself, I headed into the den. "Hey Foxtooth," I purred, pressing my nose against his forehead. "How are you doing?"

"Good. But Stormtuft told me I'll have to stay in here for the next moon," he grumbled. "I'm already bored out of my mind!"

"Here." I scooped up a pawful of moss from his nest, rolling it into a ball.

Foxtooth rolled his eyes. "Moss-ball? Really? I played that as a kit!"

"I thought you said you were bored out of your mind," I teased, raising my eyebrows. "Even a little moss-ball should drive that boredom away, shouldn't it?"

He shrugged. "Fine then. Just don't make me reach too far. Stormtuft will skin you alive."

"Point noted." I tossed the ball into the air, aiming directly at Foxtooth. He twisted but couldn't quite reach and it bounced off his flank.

"Not there!" he protested. "You're throwing it right at me! It's hard to catch that way!"

"Okay, okay," I muttered. "Yes master. I will throw higher next time." Winking at him, I threw it a little higher. This time, rolling onto his back, he was able to snag it in his foreclaws.

"All right," he grinned. "My turn." He threw it directly at my face.

* * *

 **Rainstar's POV**

I sat on the Tallrock, watching the sun setting beyond the hills marking the edge of RiverClan's territory. I wasn't thinking about anything, really. Just watching the sunlight vanishing from the purple and orange sky. It was peaceful.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Aspensplash leap up beside me. "Hey Rainstar," she meowed, settling herself beside me.

"Hey."

She hesitated for a moment, glancing up at the setting sun. "What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing," I replied honestly.

Aspensplash bit her lip, staring sideways at me. I thought I knew what she was thinking, but no, I wasn't thinking about her. Not Silverdapple. I was surprised to realize I hadn't thought about her in several sunrises, in fact.

But no, tonight my mind seemed to be more focused on the Gathering tonight. I couldn't help remembering the last Gathering, when I sat helplessly on a branch, watching as my littermates shouted in each other's faces with claws unsheathed and bushed-up tails. Not only was it breaking the truce, it was breaking our already fragile connection.

"The sky looks pretty cloudless tonight," Aspensplash commented, her voice sounding slightly strained.

"Yeah. I guess maybe we'll have a normal Gathering for once," I joked.

She snorted. "Remember what it's being called for?"

"Mmm." I pressed my lips together. "True." I hesitated for a moment, then blurted out, "You're so lucky to have Alderleaf in the same Clan."

Aspensplash blinked, apparently startled. "Um, yeah, I guess. Why?" She stared at me hard.

"I just… I dunno." I looked away, off toward the lake.

"Oh."

I looked away. She liked me, right? So why all this dancing around each other? Brief conversations, Silverdapple hanging in the air between us, awkward, hastily broken eye contact. I was sick of it. But to end it, I'd either have to break her heart or start liking her back. But did I?

Shaking my head to clear it, I gazed back out across the lake. The Gathering. That's what I needed to be worried about. Not Aspensplash. Certainly not Aspensplash. "We should probably get going," I said, wincing inwardly at my overly loud voice. No, that might give the wrong impression. But what impression did I want to give?

Gah.

Whatever.

I leaped down from the rock, staring around the clearing. "Gathering patrol!" I called. "Let's go!"

Out of the shadows surrounding the camp, the figures of nine cats appeared: Adderclaw, Alderleaf, Tansyfoot, Forestwind, Blossomstep, Crouchfoot, Lionpaw, Hoppaw, and Oakpaw. Adderclaw nodded to Aspensplash and me. "Ready to go, I think." I returned the gesture and turned to leave.

In silence, we raced across the hills, dark shapes snaking across the drifting snow. And though Aspensplash kept pace with me, she didn't speak during the entire journey to the island, for which I was grateful. I really needed to keep my mind focused on the Gathering ahead.

We reached the bridge and crossed quickly, claws digging into the decaying wood. I wondered briefly how much longer this log would last. It had to snap eventually, right? But those thoughts were shoved roughly aside as my paws touched frozen pebbles, shifting with a soft crackling. I glanced over my shoulder, making sure the rest of my Clan was on the bridge before heading away into the clearing.

RiverClan and ThunderClan had not yet arrived, it seemed. I padded slowly to the Great Rock, looking around for Cinderstar and Rockstar, but both were out of sight. So instead I turned to watch as my Clan spilled into the clearing.

They seemed to be interacting well. I spotted Adderclaw bringing his apprentice, Hoppaw, over to meet a couple SkyClan apprentices. Alderleaf grinned as he bounded over to Stormtuft of ShadowClan, exchanging a few words of greeting. My heart swelled to see the Clans interacting with each other in this friendly sort of way. Maybe there was hope for this Gathering to go smoothly after all. With this in mind, I turned to face the Great Tree again, bunching my haunches to leap into its branches.

My hopes vanished as I heard spitting from the general region of the Tree-bridge. It sounded like Mossystar and Sootstar were having a fight.

* * *

 **All right, next chapter should be pretty interesting to write, but all the same I don't know when it'll be coming out. For now I'm going to discontinue the QOTDs. Hopefully when I get back to a more regular updating schedule I can restart them!**


	16. Declarations of War

**Woo, another chapter! :D**

 **So sorry for not updating, a lack of inspiration has been coupled with four tests in the course of two days. x-x But gladly that's over now and I'm destressing as the first quarter ends. Now on to the next one with midterms haha (I'm gonna die it's official homework will kill me) (actually it won't don't worry I'm not feeling suicidal and I shouldn't make fun of people who do it's a serious issue) (I'm a terrible person it's official :P )**

 **I'm sorry to say this might be the last chapter for a while. I might have extra free time in the next week or so, but it's unlikely I'll be able to type up the next chapter. See, I'm going to go for NaNoWriMo again this year, and for those of you who may not know what that is, it's called National Novel Writing Month and it's when writers across the globe try to write 50,000 words in the month of November. I was a winner last year (aka I wrote 50,012 words) and I hope to do the same this year. Unfortunately, as I will be writing a story other than this one (as it's actually almost over, I outlined the rest of the story and it will be exactly 17 chapters long, this is chapter 13) I won't have any free time to spend writing this.**

 **I did, however, notice that this story has, in fact, gotten over 100 reviews! Thank you all _SO_ much, I couldn't have done it without such amazing support! :D I will be doing a "special" as I have done for Misty Peace's prequels in the form of a drawing I will post to my DeviantArt around Halloween. If you don't know how to get to my DeviantArt, use this link and take out the spaces:**

 **snowfall16. deviantart. com**

 **Happy early Halloween everyone!**

 **So I typed up the replies the morning after the rest of this, when my cat woke me up at 4:30 in the morning, so sorry if they're kinda... yeah. Less than average. XD**

 **Leopardstar2002: Yeah, he is... But Mossystar's kinda self-centered herself too. I had fun writing this chapter, it's full of Mossy's biased opinions. XD**

 **Queen Eradrin: Sorry it took so long! I hope you like it, though Sootstar's being more of a poop unfortunately. :(**

 **QLKwriter: I have fans... Man, until you said that it was kind of in the background, but now it seems I'll have to wrap my mind around that. o-o Hope my fans aren't disappointed by how little material I'm getting out though. I'm sorry about your grandfather! Hopefully you won't fall over backwards too much with your books, I remember my middle school being just like that. I'd have three huge textbooks to take to class every day. I'm happy to say high school teachers are a little more conscious about not giving you textbooks to take into class every day, they more assign homework out of them and do other stuff in class. Or at least mine do. ^^;**

 **ShadowHawk540: Yeah, Cinderstar's falling for Foxtooth. ^^; Oh well. I think Mossystar falling in the river would be pretty funny though, even if she is RiverClan.**

 **Nightbird1648: Thank you! :) That means a lot, especially with the several months in between each upload...**

 **Cindercloud of ThunderClan: Thanks a bunch! :) I really appreciate it! I tried to make my writing interesting this chapter, tell me how I did?**

 **Wolf Shadows: I don't mind if you can't review, just make sure you don't get in trouble, okay? I've still got a few chapters left and at least one piece of Misty art, but if you don't have time to give me feedback it's okay. School comes first, sadly...**

 **ilovewarriorcats: I'm actually really used to listening to other people's problems. In real life I'm a listener, not a speaker, so I'm the person my friends come to if they need to rant. I don't mind. :) And my AP classes are actually okay, as long as I spend time every night getting some homework done. I just had a weekend-long field trip for a class, which really put me behind. And don't worry, you honestly don't sound so inconsiderate to me. TalkFictions sounds strange and I'll definitely keep my eyes open for that. Not sure if I'll check it out myself because of viruses and stuff but I'll definitely put notices up when I have the time. Thanks for letting me know! :)**

* * *

 **Mossystar's POV**

I glowered at Sootstar, tail bushed up like a cattail. "Why did you come across early?" I growled. "Half my Clan still needs to cross!"

"Well if you hadn't cut in front of us maybe I'd be a little more _generous!_ " Sootstar retorted. Behind us, cats streamed down from the Tree-Bridge, all reeking of ThunderClan musk. Sootstar glanced along the bridge, counting off his cats. "There, see, your cats are beginning to cross now," he said pretentiously. " _That_ didn't take much time."

I scowled at him but with a flick of his tail, he was gone, pushing through the underbrush to the Gathering clearing.

Gah. Why did he have to be so self-centered all the time? _I_ wasn't self-centered! None of the other leaders were! Why did Sootstar have to be so… annoying?

Flattening my ears in irritation, I turned to watch the rest of RiverClan cross the Tree-Bridge. Once we had all (finally) gathered on the island shore, I lifted my tail and led the way into the clearing, where all four other Clans had already gathered.

Not surprisingly, Rockstar, Rainstar, Cinderstar, and Sootstar were already sitting up in the Great Tree. Embarrassed by my apparent tardiness, I bounded quickly through the crowd and clawed my way up the trunk, settling on the lowest branch. Above me, Sootstar stood to begin the Gathering.

"Now that we are all here—" I lashed my tail at the thinly veiled insult "—it is time to get to business. I believe we all know why this Gathering was called, but just in case I am mistaken I will explain. Early this morning, we all woke to find the scents of other Clans draped over our territories like frost."

A general rumble of suspicion filled the clearing. I glanced down and was startled to notice the five Clans sitting in distinct locations, refraining from the usual mingling with buffers of air between them.

Sootstar continued, "We do not know who did this, but we do know there must be a culprit. There must be a reason."

Again, mutters filled the clearing. But no cat seemed willing to speak louder, to raise their voice above the others. Sootstar, seeming to notice this, clicked his tongue impatiently. "Oh, come now, you can't all know nothing. Speak, someone, and let us know who the culprits are."

Rainstar rose to his paws above me, staring hard at his brother. "We do not know if the ones responsible were Clan cats," he meowed in a reasonable tone, though I couldn't help but notice his claws gripping the tree limb rather tighter than normal. "It could have been StarClan or the Dark Forest."

"Ghosts cannot leave scents." Sootstar brushed off Rainstar's point like a spider off his flank. "It must have been a group of living cats."

"But there must have been a great number of cats to cover all five territories, even if they are smaller than usual," Rockstar pointed out. "There's no way a group of that number could have escaped the awareness of all five Clans."

"That's exactly my point," Sootstar hissed. "Someone here knows something. They just don't want to speak."

An uneasy silence followed his words. I watched nervously as the cats in the clearing stared suspiciously around, not only at the other Clans, but also at their own Clanmates. Could Sootstar's words drive us apart so easily?

"Badgertongue." I surprised myself with speech. Taking a deep breath, I continued, "You were on guard last night. Did you see any suspicious movement?"

The black and white she-cat blinked, looking startled to be called on. "No," she replied, her loud voice carrying easily over the snow-silent clearing. "I didn't see anything." She shrugged. "Sorry."

I shook my head. "It's fine. I wasn't expecting anything anyway, the clearest other-Clan scents lay mainly by the river." Glancing up at the other four leaders, I invited them to continue my pattern of interrogation.

Cinderstar stood on her branch, staring down at her Clan. "Tanglefur," she called down. "Sparrowtalon, Twigpaw. You were on the nighttime hunting patrol; did you see anything? And how about you, Mistheart? You guarded the entrance, did you not?"

The ShadowClan cats shifted in the snow, glancing at one another and shaking their heads. "I don't believe so, Cinderstar," Sparrowtalon replied. "No, not that I saw," Mistheart echoed.

"Tansyfoot?" Rainstar chimed in, "anything?"

"Streamfrost?"

"Bouncefire?"

All cats replied the same; no, they had not seen anything out of the ordinary during the night. According to them, the night was all silent, with nothing moving except the wind and clouds.

I lashed my tail. Fox dung.

"Are you sure StarClan and the Dark Forest can't leave scents?" Cinderstar asked Sootstar uncertainly.

"Yes," he snapped, now looking severely irritated. I wondered what was chewing on _his_ tail. He paced back and forth, his weight sending his branch swaying wildly as though caught in a storm wind. As I watched, the last shriveled, dirt-brown leaf finally snapped off the branch, drifting down to land on the untouched snow below.

"Very well," he growled. "Very… well." He sucked in a deep breath, most likely giving himself a brain freeze, and glared around at the Clans. "War," he announced. "That's it. If you are too cowardly to admit you've been spying on ThunderClan, then fine. But that's the only conclusion I can think of."

An uproar greeted his words, drowning out his last sentence. Cats all over the clearing leaped to their feet, yowling abuse at Sootstar. Somehow, though, he managed to be heard above the tumult. "I smelled no ThunderClan scent on _your_ territories!" he screeched. "If war is what you want, then a war you'll have! Tomorrow at sunhigh, it begins." He bounded down the Great Tree, beckoning to his Clanmates.

Just before they disappeared through the trees, Sootstar paused and turned to face us. "Any alliances you make, confirm them tonight. Tomorrow it will be every Clan for themselves."

I sat stunned on my branch as the other leaders slowly descended the tree, gathering their Clans together. Had Sootstar gone mad? A war was the absolute last thing the Clans needed in the middle of Leafbare!

But my keen, fish-hunting eyes spotted Rockstar's black pelt through the mass of multicolored pelts, awakening my leader's instincts. I needed to solidify my alliances tonight? Very well. Tomorrow we would fight, but Rockstar and I would stand together. Perhaps it would prevent some unnecessary bloodshed.

Leaping down from the tree, I slipped through the crowd like a river otter until I reached his side. "Rockstar, may I speak with you?"

He turned. "Certainly. What about?"

I took a deep breath. "Tomorrow. The battle. Will you stand with RiverClan?"

Rockstar snorted. "Do you really think the Clans want a battle? I think Sootstar got a little over the top tonight, but tomorrow he'll surely see sense again. If we don't turn up we can let him save his pride and prevent injury."

I snorted. "Did you see those ThunderClan cats? Not one of them protested his ruling. They could have easily added their voices to the protests without fear of being singled out as treasonous, but not one of them did. They looked like they actually _supported_ Sootstar. Believe me, ThunderClan will start this battle.

"You will be his first target. You and Cinderstar, and she'll obviously refuse to fight him, so he'll turn to you. You'll fight back and if Cinderstar and Rainstar see you attacking their brother, they'll come to his aid. Believe me, you want my help."

Rockstar opened his mouth, hesitated, then closed it again. Finally, he meowed, "Fine. Yes, I will stand with you tomorrow." He grimaced, turning back to his Clan. "If you're right, then it looks like I'll need it."

* * *

 **Oh man, a battle. And Sootstar's sinking deeper and deeper...**

 **Next chapter is his POV so hopefully I'll be able to include some explanations, but I might forget to go into detail so... I'll try to get Chapter 14 done soon but I should probably be working on homework instead as I won't have as much time to do it in November. Yeah, I know, homework is taking over my life, but I won last year and I'd love to do the same this year. I've fallen in love with my idea 3**

 **Yeah, I know I said I'd be discontinuing QOTDs, but I have a good one this time. ^^**

 **QOTD: Are any of you doing NaNoWriMo? Or do you want to but don't have enough time/inspiration?**


	17. Author's Note 2 (finally)

I got online to type this author's note and realized that the last chapter only has a life of 8 more days. If that doesn't tell me to get my butt into action I don't know what does.

Hi everyone! So incredibly sorry for the lack of updates! D: It's been about 2 1/2 months since my last upload I think, since before November. Man, I'm slacking. Anyway, I'm not dead and I really am still interested in finishing this, amazingly enough. It's just that my life's been insane.

November I had NaNoWriMo, so all my writing time was spent writing a novel (which I finished at the end with 50,014 words, woop woop). I had a good excuse then, but I'm afraid since then my excuses haven't been as solid. Still solid but not as good as writing a novel, I think. December I was trying to finish all the work I'd put off during the last week of November as well as doing my normal schoolwork for two weeks, and then I went traveling over Winter Break without any chance to write amongst seeing family, doing homework, and going to Harry Potter World. That was fun, I've gotta say. ^^ So far this year I've been feeling gradually more and more stressed as school is once again taking over my life. Currently I'm trying to finish a group project due tomorrow, which is just about the funnest thing ever (...sarcasm, that was sarcasm, that was way sarcasm).

My birthday's in about two weeks on the 25th. I'm making a personal goal (and publishing it online so I can't go back on it) to write the last three chapters by then. When I turn 16 I'll have finished this year-and-a-half-long project. Hopefully.

I've started chapter 14 about three times. I'm currently at 355 words and like where it is going, so hopefully I can actually get a chapter up in the near future despite falling behind (again) in history. (sinks head onto hands) I really want to get another chapter out for you, so I'll force time to form so we can finish this third book soon.

As a reminder (as I'm sure we've all pretty much forgotten what's happened last) Sootstar was being a jerk at the Gathering and basically starting a war, so everyone wasn't feeling too kindly toward him. Perhaps in the last few chapters that will change, but who knows? (glances shiftily around)

Thanks for understanding and I will hopefully have a chapter out soon! 3 Thank you for sticking with me this long, however unreliable about updating I may be.


	18. Revival

**First chapter out! :D It's just over 6,000 words and I'm really proud of it. ^^ Thank you for all the support from last chapter!**

 **Weeping Wolves: It's good to be back! And yes, while I love both my online life and my real-life life, reality takes priority. Luckily for me, though, I have a four-day weekend this weekend, so I can spend time working on both my online life and my real-life life. Hope you enjoy the super-long chapter!**

 **Leopardstar2002: Thank you for your support and Happy New Year to you too!**

 **ilovewarriorcats: I would have updated sooner, but I had stupid math homework too. Mine was on integrals... ^^; Hope I didn't fail that quiz I had. My group project was actually okay this time, because I was working with a really cool person I met this year and her friend and we ended up making a Draw My Life type book trailer, which was pretty hilarious. :) I meant my chapter only having a life of 8 days as in the Doc had 8 days, not the chapter itself. When you upload a chapter you first upload it as a Doc, then as a chapter, and each Doc has a life of 80 days to keep from there being too many filling up your Doc Manager. The chapter will still be there, don't worry. **

**ShadowHawk540-2: Thank you! :) I hope you enjoy this extra long chapter in repayment for being so long gone! I had a ton of fun writing it and I think it's one of my best so far, so fingers crossed you like it too.**

 **RANDOM PERSON: I won't mind the lack of reviews if you don't mind the lack of uploads. ^^ I do see your point about the uploading schedule I set for myself. What I'm planning on doing is to post chapters as frequently as I can, using my birthday as a motive to get me to write. If I know I won't make it (which I fully expect) then I won't force myself to churn out a bunch of sub-standard chapters just to meet the deadline. I'll take my time and make sure they're good chapters, but I know I'll need that extra kick to get myself writing again. I'll be sure to take advantage of my long weekend (for my school it's actually four days, including a teacher work day on Tuesday) and hopefully get another chapter, or at least another half chapter written by then.**

* * *

 **Sootstar's POV**

I knew this was technically considered stalking, and not the hunting type that got food for queens and all. This was the creepy type elders always warned the kits about. I distinctly remembered Lightwing warning Cinderstar, Rainstar, and me about stalkers back in the Peace Forest. But I just couldn't stop myself.

My paws sank into the layer of dead grass surrounding WindClan's camp, leaving behind a sticky trail of lumpy, brown mud. I fought the urge to wipe it all off, to twitch my paws until it flew off, out of sight. If I didn't keep this on my scent would start leaking through and who knew what that would do to the already tense atmosphere? I was lucky enough to find an unfrozen patch lying untouched near the lake.

Crouching into a snowdrift, I peered into the camp. At first, I couldn't make out which cats were which; at this distance they all looked vaguely similar. All shades of brown and gray and white against the packed, dirty snow in the main clearing. I wondered to myself why WindClan cats always complained about hunting in Leaf-bare. I would have thought they could blend in easier during this season. But I supposed they didn't rely on stealth like ThunderClan, rather relying on speed. Perhaps the snow slowed them down, though with their long legs I still doubted whether that really hindered them. Maybe with their higher centers of gravity they lost their balance easier on the slippery slopes.

I shook my head; I needed to concentrate. I had to find Rainstar. He was the only one who might be able to understand. He was always the understanding one when we were kits. I desperately wished his leadership hadn't beaten that trait out of him. I recalled the nauseating stress constantly pulling at myself, stretching my nerves tight over the claws of life. When I looked at my reflection in the lake I could barely recognize the glint in my eyes. It was the glint of a leader, of one whose heart is turning cold, of Ashthorn. I couldn't let it continue to turn.

The leader's den was… I wracked my memory, trying to remember. I'd been here before, that I was certain of. But where was the leader's den? It wasn't as though I could just stroll into the WindClan camp; I had after all just declared war earlier that night.

It should be near the place where Rainstar addressed the Clan, right? The Tall-boulder or something? I forgot exactly what it was called. Scanning the clearing again, I spotted several large rocks that could easily be used for Clan meetings. Great. Why did WindClan's camp have to be so darn confusing? Foxbrained Crowfeather, picking out this particular spot as the camp. I'd just have to investigate each one.

I began slinking down the hill, using some tactics Cinderstar taught me as apprentices for silent movement. My memory flashed back to her amused purr, her twitching tail, her teasing yet patient meow as she showed me yet again how to glide like a snake rather than lumber like a badger. Dumb memory. It always works right when I don't want it to. Desperately, I tried again to remember where Rainstar's den was, and again felt it slip through my clutches. It was there, I could feel it there, if I heard it I would know it, but I couldn't think of it. Was it closer to or farther from the entrance?

The camp slowly came into focus through the darkness. I strained my eyes, searching for any hint of the cloud-gray fur that never really lost its kit-fluff. I smiled to myself as I recalled Rainstar as a kit, bursting into laughter over Cinderstar's imagined leader name. If only she knew then that, had she begged the RiverClan leaders enough, her name might just have ended up being Cinderbloodscarfighterstar after all.

"Where are you?" I whispered to myself, trying to pull myself back to reality. "Raingigg—I mean, Rainstar, where in StarClan is your den?"

Rainstar didn't answer, though I wasn't really expecting him to. I continued down the hill, taking my time so as to avoid slipping and tumbling straight into enemy warriors. Well, WindClan warriors technically, but after tonight I supposed they _were_ my enemies now. I wondered if they would attack me on sight. They'd certainly take me prisoner and interrogate me, for which I would have no excuses. Why _was_ I lurking in WindClan territory if not to spy on them?

Finally, I made it to a clump of dormant thorn bushes and paused to survey the terrain, glancing quickly around to scan for movement. At first, I only spotted one ghostly guard pacing the edges of the clearing. Then another slunk out from the cover of a shadow and a third reached up to scratch their ear by the main entrance. Three guards. Did WindClan really mistrust me that much? Then again, I reflected, I hadn't given them much reason to relax recently.

The pacing guards had met by one of the boulders. Perhaps if I snuck closer I could overhear their conversation. Guards often talked loudly about the location of their leader's den, right? I snorted to myself. But then again, what other option did I have? I could wait around until sunrise, but that would defeat the entire purpose of coming here under the cover of night.

The cats were too distracted talking to notice me slinking closer, until I crouched under an outcropping of rock and, hidden in the darkness, ears straining forward so hard I almost thought they might detach from my head and fly forward into the guards, I finally could pick up their conversation.

"Cold night," one muttered to himself, shivering.

"Oh, quit whining. You've been through worse." The she-cat rolled her eyes. "Honestly, I'd think the _deputy_ wouldn't whine about the cold when he's protecting his Clan."

"Sootstar said he'd attack in the morning, though. It's not likely he'd attack tonight after staying up to call the Gathering, would he?"

"Who knows what that rogue would do," the she-cat growled, sinking her claws into the ground. She looked at the tom with softer eyes. "I'm worried about the battle tomorrow. I know you're a good fighter, but… what if you get hurt? What if your father gets hurt?"

"I'll be fine," the tom muttered, staring off across the clearing. "We'll both be fine."

The she-cat nodded and pressed her nose into her son's fur. "Oh great StarClan, you _are_ cold!" She grimaced sympathetically. "Hold on until moonhigh and we can switch out the watch. It's almost time, I think."

"See you later," the tom meowed, brushing past her and heading around the clearing again, sweeping his tail back and forth. He looked rather agitated, I reflected as I stepped back around the back of his boulder.

Of course they wouldn't talk about the location of the leader's den. It wasn't exactly a subject that came up in everyday conversation. I gritted my teeth as I tried to think of something else, some other tactic to try. I might have to let myself get caught to figure it out. But that would obviously be as a last resort. If WindClan warriors caught me so close to their camp the last thing they'd want to do would be to leave me alone with their leader. Well, maybe not the _last_ thing. The last thing would probably be more like leaving me to take care of their kits while they went off on a moon-long journey or adopting me into the Clan.

But that wasn't the point. I needed to find Rainstar, and fast, if I wanted to talk with him before tomorrow. If I didn't, if I lost this chance—

A heavy weight landed on my back and I slammed into the ground, coughing as the wind was knocked from my lungs. I gasped and choked, struggling for oxygen, scrabbling at the frozen ground to push my attacker off, but they sank their hind claws into the ground on either side of me, holding me in place.

"What do you think you're doing here?" a low voice growled in my ear.

My heart leaped. Finally, after my night of bad luck, something fortunate had actually happened. "Rainstar!" I wheezed. "It's me!"

"I know who you are. What are you doing in my camp?"

His voice was cold, colder than I expected. Still breathing heavily, I tried to turn my head to stare up at him, but could only see some of his wispy fur out of the corner of my eye. He batted at me with a sheathed paw, whacking me on the nose and forcing me to stare straight ahead again.

"Talk to me, Sootstar! What... are… you… doing… here?"

I took a deep breath. Then another. My lungs still felt flattened, and Rainstar's weight pressing down on my back really wasn't helping in the slightest. "I… I need to talk to you. About tonight. What happened at the Gathering."

"What's there to talk about? You declared war on all the other Clans." Rainstar's voice was unyielding, frigid as the breeze sighing over the camp.

"Please, Rainstar, let me up. I need to see your face." He didn't answer for a moment, so I added, " _Please._ " I wondered if he thought the desperation audible in my voice was fake.

Finally, I felt his claws release me. I pushed myself slowly to my paws, rolling sore shoulders where he'd landed on me. My lungs still felt as though they'd spent a good moon on a Thunderpath. Turning, I flattened my back against the boulder. Perhaps it would make him more at ease if he knew I couldn't escape, even if I wanted to. I searched his face, his pale blue eyes, struggling to find even a smidge of my brother in them, but they were like reflections of the boulder currently numbing my painful shoulders.

"Well?" he asked stonily.

I took a deep breath. "I…"

It was odd, how I'd been waiting all night for this moment, ever since I'd watched the last Clan leave the island, hidden in the foliage nearest to the Tree-Bridge, yet now that I was here I couldn't find the words. Rainstar wasn't helping either, his eyes exactly the shape and color of the lake when it froze over, trapping words, cats, and fish underneath.

"I want to apologize."

"Oh. Sure." Rainstar rolled his eyes. I could hardly believe what I was seeing; Rainstar looked like Cinderstar, or at least an exceptionally cruel and hateful Cinderstar. What was wrong with him?

"Rainstar, please. Listen to me."

"Don't you 'Rainstar, please' me. Spit out your real reason."

" _Listen to me._ I did not come here to fight you." I shoved my face closer to Rainstar's. "I came to talk as brother to brother. You're the only one who might be able to understand me."

Rainstar didn't reply, but I thought I saw something swimming in his eyes, like a fish was trying to break free. For a heartbeat I thought it might be the kit I used to play with, the apprentice I helped teach how to stand up for himself. My heart jumped into my throat. Could this idea actually work?

"I know you probably hate me because of what I did at the Gathering," I said in a rush. Now that I had confidence that Rainstar might believe me, the words started tumbling out of me like the waterfall at the Moonpool. "And it's true, I was a… a…"

"Foxhearted rogue," Rainstar suggested calmly.

At an earlier time I would have thought he was joking. Now I wasn't sure if he was or not. For the first time in a moon, I wished for our easy mind-speak back.

"Um, yeah. I was a foxhearted rogue. But, listen, I didn't mean for that to be me. I never wanted a war. Never." I glanced skyward, to where the lights of StarClan glimmered between hazy clouds the color of my fur. "I just… my anger took control. I couldn't stop it, I didn't know how."

"You didn't want a war but you were angry at us?" Rainstar asked, sounding merely confused.

"No. I mean yes, I didn't—don't—want a war, and yes I was mad, but not at you. Not at the Clans."

"At Ashthorn," Rainstar murmured.

" _Yes._ " I paused, watching Rainstar's expression. For a moment, just a moment, as he stared at the ground, he looked almost normal. Then his eyes snapped up to me again and he turned back into the frost gremlin. Almost there.

"You're obsessed with him. If you hate him so much, let it go. It's not good to constantly obsess over something you hate—over some _one_ you hate."

"But it's not that simple." I scuffed my paw against the ground, kicking up a shower of ice crystals.

"But it is." Rainstar stared earnestly into my eyes. I glanced up and caught a genuinely Rainstar expression for the first time that night. "It is, Sootstar. If you'd just put your past behind you, you'd see Ashthorn actually—"

"Wants the best for us?" I finished bitterly. "Do you really think that's true? After all he put us through?"

"He apologized," Rainstar said fiercely, "and so did you, I might add."

I turned away, the old anger rising inside me again. Closing my eyes, I imagined seeing Ashthorn in front of me now. My claws vibrated, ready for action.

"Sootstar," Rainstar said tentatively. "Do you know what I heard from one of the older warriors yesterday?" I didn't reply, and after a moment he continued. "She said the reason you hate someone is because you see the same thing in yourself and you hate it. Only by changing yourself can you get over your hatred of them. It's… it's actually helped me a lot."

I scoffed. "Helped _you_? I'd be surprised if you've ever even disliked anyone before."

"Actually…" Rainstar hesitated, biting his lip. "Um…"

I turned toward him, staring him in the eyes. My anger still throbbed beneath my pelt, so forcefully I didn't even register the vulnerable expression I'd seen so frequently on him as a kit, when he'd been teased by Adderkit. I didn't realize I should've stopped. "What, Rainstar? Spit it out."

Rainstar stared at me for a moment, and his face turned blank, almost considering. "It's helped me get over my hatred of _you_ , Sootstar. That's what."

I stepped backward, my mind reeling. Rainstar? My little brother? _Hate_ me? Hate _me?_

"That's right, Sootstar. I'm… I'm sorry it had to come out like this. But it's true. And you know what?" He shoved his chin forward. "The truth is more important to me than keeping you safe in your little bubble. I should have told you earlier, I suppose, maybe at the Gathering. But I didn't know it would escalate that far."

I suddenly realized my anger had faded. Was it even possible to stay angry at Rainstar for more than a few moments? I'd never tried.

"Do… do you really…"

Rainstar looked back at the ground, his momentary courage fading like morning mist on the lake. "Not anymore. Well, maybe a little. But you came with an apology, and I suppose that means there's still Sootstar somewhere inside there. Somewhere inside that hatred."

"Why?" My voice came out like a kit's mewl. I coughed, cleared my throat, but before I could try again Rainstar spoke.

"Because you stopped me from having a relationship with my father."

"But he's dead. You can't exactly—"

"He came to me in a dream, Sootstar. Cinderstar too, I bet. I'm not surprised he didn't come to you, though."

I stared at the ground as Rainstar's voice faded, the snow sucking up the echoes like sand sucking up water. Something seemed not quite right about his argument. "You said you hated me. But wouldn't that mean you saw something of yourself in me? Something to hate?"

Rainstar glanced at his paws. "Yeah. I guess maybe… maybe I felt guilty about keeping you away from Dawnshine. After the battle where Silverdapple died, you didn't want to go showing off your love for her in front of me because you had a special she-cat and I didn't anymore.

" 'Didn't'?" I repeated. "Past tense?"

Rainstar swallowed. "Um, yeah. I mean no, present—I mean…"

I touched my tail to his shoulder. "Hey. Don't strangle yourself." As he glanced up at me I tried for a small smile, my heart leaping when he returned it. "It's complicated, huh?"

"I guess."

"Well, whoever it is, I think you should give her a chance. Silverdapple wouldn't want you to keep grieving forever."

"Yeah I know. I'm trying."

I let the matter drop. After all, I hadn't come here to counsel Rainstar on his love life, however much I would prefer to be talking about it. It transported me back to half a moon ago when we had just arrived and I could tease him about Silverpaw all I wanted.

Taking a deep, uneven breath, Rainstar pulled away, turning to face me again with an attempt to reform his unemotional expression of before. "So, you started a… a war because you hated Ashthorn."

"Well…" I hesitated. Phrased like that it sounded stupid, petty. Like something a kit might do. "I didn't mean to start a war," I repeated. I didn't know what else to say.

Rainstar flicked his tail. He was really getting the hang of being the unfeeling enemy leader again. "Hate to break it to you, but you kind of did. Whether you meant to or not, it's done."

"I know. It's why I came to you." I took a deep breath, trying to still my own emotions into an expression like Rainstar's. If he wanted to play this diplomatic game, I wouldn't stop him. "I need you to convince the other leaders to not fight tomorrow."

"Why would I do that? You might try to take us off-guard."

I stared into his eyes, suddenly pleading, my stoic façade shattering like an icicle falling onto a rock. "Do you really think I'd do that? I already told you—"

"Sootstar, _I_ don't think you would. But that's beside the point. Do you really think Mossystar or Rockstar would be prepared to believe you've seen the error of your ways and want to prevent the battle?"

I gritted my teeth. "No. But that's exactly my point. If _you_ told them—"

"Don't you know me at all? It's not for nothing I'm known as the softhearted leader, and everyone knows I'm your brother! Do you think they'd be surprised you managed to convince me?" He looked away, the fur along his spine bristling in agitation.

I gazed up to the crest of the hill in the direction I knew the lake must be. Rainstar had a point; it would be hard enough convincing Cinderstar, much less Mossystar and Rockstar. They'd never believe he didn't want to fight. Unless…

"What if we just refuse to fight?"

"What do you mean?" Rainstar gazed at me quizzically.

"I mean what if tomorrow comes and the Clans are facing each other on the battlefield and ThunderClan and WindClan refuse to attack?"

"We'd get clobbered by the other Clans. Especially ThunderClan. Especially you. I bet half the cats in all the Clans want to kill you. Somehow I don't think you have enough lives for them all to have a go."

"We'd protect ourselves, obviously, but otherwise refuse to fight. We wouldn't unsheathe our claws or something."

"That's gotta be one of the worst solutions I've ever heard of."

"You got a better one? Maybe if I show them I won't fight rather than telling them they'd believe me," I added when Rainstar didn't answer.

He rolled his eyes, but half-smiled all the same. "Okay, fine. Harebrain."

"Mousebrain."

* * *

I'd almost made it back to camp before I heard the yowl. My confident, energetic mood vanished as I recognized the voice.

Ground flashed beneath my paws, splashing past like I was running up a stream. I watched the path, fear sharpening my eyesight as I searched for mischievous roots or fronds that may have looped across the path in an attempt to trip passersby. I couldn't be one of their victims tonight.

The ground opened before me—I'd made it to camp. Slipping around the edge, I glanced down into the hollow. It looked fine, but perhaps the enemy attacking force had already retreated, leaving destruction in its wake.

I found Molewhisker guarding the entrance, sitting right where I'd left him. Skidding to a halt in the snow to avoid crashing into him, I stared at him in wild confusion.

"Ah, Sootstar, you're back," he smiled. "And just in time, too."

"W—What?" I stammered.

"It's got to be almost time, I think. I haven't heard anything from inside yet, but it's been about long enough I think." He shrugged. "Not really my area of expertise anyway."

"Huh?" I had just enough of my wits left to curse myself for sounding like such an apprentice. Of all the things I could've said, it had to be _Huh_. Not even a _What_. But it was swamped almost immediately again in thoughts of Dawnshine's cry, filled with such pain…

"It's okay to be nervous, I know it's your first time," Molewhisker assured me. "But I promise you, it's absolutely inc—"

"What are you talking about?" I demanded.

Molewhisker blinked. "Dawnshine's kitting. Didn't you know?"

"Dawnshine's— _what?!_ "

Molewhisker rolled his eyes with a purr and stepped aside to leave me more room. I wriggled through the opening just as another yowl echoed around the camp.

"Good luck," Molewhisker said. "You'll need it."

"Why am I going to need it?" I asked distractedly, staring around camp. I'd momentarily forgotten where the nursery was.

"To convince Goldenwing to let you in."

Of course, it was under the bramble bush. I darted toward it and began ducking through the entrance, but was blocked by a mass of pale ginger fur. I tried to peer around it, but only succeeded in poking myself in the nose with a thorn.

"Ow! Foxdung!"

"Sootstar?" Amberwing's round eyes appeared in the entrance.

"Amberwing! Can you let me through?"

"Sorry, no can do. Goldenwing told me to block any cats from entering."

"But I'm Dawnshine's mate!"

"She said to especially watch out for you. Sorry." She turned back to face the inside as another drawn-out howl emitted from inside, rattling my eardrums. Flattening my ears against my head, I tried again.

"Please, Amberwing! I haven't seen her all tonight! Can't I at least say hello?"

Amberwing didn't even acknowledge my words. She shifted against the entrance, blocking it more firmly with her body.

"It's no use." I glanced down in surprise to see a large tomkit with Amberwing's fur. He stared morosely at me before glancing at his mother. "Sunkit and I tried sneaking in around back while Maplekit distracted her but Maplekit followed us too soon and she realized what we were up to."

"It wasn't my fault!" A brown and cream she-kit batted the tom around the ears. "I wanted to see the kits and I thought I heard you two inside!"

"Sure," the tom scoffed.

"There's a way in around back?" I asked, my heart speeding up with a new surge of adrenaline. If I could only slip in through a back entrance…

"Don't you dare." Amberwing's muffled voice sounded from inside the nursery. Her eyes reappeared and she stared reprovingly at me.

"I didn't do anything!" the tom grumbled.

"Not you, Birchkit dear, you're fine. I was talking to Sootstar."

"Oh. Okay." Birchkit whacked Maplekit around the ears in retaliation for her earlier blow and dashed off across the camp. Maplekit shrieked and plunged after him, slipping on the snow and slamming into his side. Their squeals echoed across the camp.

A loud cracking sound split the nursery air. Amberwing's eyes went wide and she whipped around, leaving half the entrance uncovered. "Are they coming?" I heard her ask quietly.

"Shut up, I'm trying to concentrate," a muffled meow replied. Amberwing's tail twitched but she didn't repeat her question.

I peered in around the side, pressing myself into the thorny side of the nursery's entrance. I realized for a heartbeat that the mud from earlier still caked my fur, but I didn't really care. Dawnshine was inside, and possibly one of my kits. _My kits._

A high-pitched squeal sounded from a distant corner of the nursery. I strained my neck, but could only see Dawnshine's fluffy tail and Goldenwing's hunched back. Finally, abandoning all restraint, I shoved my way forward, my broad shoulders knocking Amberwing aside. She didn't even try to stop me.

Inside, it smelled like warmth and something strange I couldn't quite place. Scanning the arrangement of mossy nests, my eyes fell on the one farthest from the entrance, safe from the worst of the cold. Inside lay Dawnshine, spread out over her moss like a limp rabbit, and at her belly lay a bedraggled kit, its fur almost black with dampness. Goldenwing was busy rubbing it from nose to tail-tip, licking the wet away to prevent the newborn from getting chilled, fluffing up its fur to protect it from the wind's snowy touch.

I held my breath, not daring to edge closer. What if I brought cold air into the nursery, too cold for the kit? It looked even limper than Dawnshine, about the same size as a mouse. I silently willed it to move, just a little bit, a tiny whisker-twitch to let me know it was fighting. I'd heard stories about stillborn kits back in the Peace Forest but never really considered the horror of it until now. I couldn't imagine what it must be like to have only one kit and to have that kit be stillborn. I found myself praying desperately that it wouldn't be the case with Dawnshine and me.

A loud howl echoed around the nursery. At first I thought it was Dawnshine, but she wouldn't have been able to produce such a loud noise with that stick still locked in her jaws. After a moment of confusion I realized it must have come from the kit.

"It's a tom!" Goldenwing called, visibly relaxing as she gave him a few last licks and set him beside Dawnshine's belly. I padded cautiously closer and bent to sniff at the kit. _My_ kit. _My son._

Goldenwing glared at me for a moment but as Dawnshine tensed again she turned back, pressing a paw to her belly. "Almost there," she encouraged in a low voice.

I barely glanced at Dawnshine, I was so fascinated by the kit. His tiny paws, speckled with white like his miniscule muzzle, felt around him, reaching out to the sides and above his head until he rubbed against Dawnshine's soft belly fur. He seemed calm as of right now, but I couldn't help but remember his first cry. How could something so small and delicate make such a loud sound?

"Push!" Goldenwing commanded. I looked up at Dawnshine as she strained again, pressing her teeth into the stick. It held, but trembled from the pressure as Goldenwing pulled a second kit to her paws and went to work furiously licking it.

This kit took less time to warm up, wriggling around after only about six swipes of Goldenwing's tongue. It pressed a paw to her nose as it arched its back and mewled loudly, though not quite as loudly as the first tom.

"A she-kit!" Goldenwing deposited her beside her brother as, for a third time, Dawnshine began panting and straining.

I tentatively sniffed the she-kit. Her fur was lighter like Dawnshine's, though with more tabby markings than her mother, who only had a couple darker marks here and there. She leaned into her brother, soaking in his warmth, as she reached forward for Dawnshine.

"Push!" This time I looked at Goldenwing, but I glanced away just as quickly as Dawnshine heaved and cracked her stick a second time. There were just some things toms weren't meant to see.

Goldenwing nodded at me to help Dawnshine as she began rubbing the third kit. Dawnshine let go of her stick and spat out a couple splinters, flopping her head down onto her moss in exhaustion. "How many left?" she croaked.

"Just this one." Goldenwing paused in her frantic cleaning of the third kit to press her paw against Dawnshine's belly in confirmation. "Yeah, just one."

"Thank StarClan," Dawnshine murmured, closing her eyes. "I don't think I could take any more."

I got the feeling I was meant to do something. Leaning down, I awkwardly licked the top of her head. "You're, erm, doing great," I said, though truthfully I had no idea how good she actually was doing.

Dawnshine smiled softly, just the corners of her mouth twitching upward for a heartbeat. Then she grimaced again, her body stiffening. I quickly nosed what was left of her stick toward her muzzle and she grabbed hold of it, clenching it tightly, her sharp teeth digging into the bark.

"It's another girl!" Goldenwing meowed briefly before turning back to Dawnshine.

I nosed my second daughter closer to my other kits. _My kits._ I still couldn't quite believe this was happening. It was all so surreal. Though I supposed for Dawnshine this was anything but surreal. She mur-r-owed in pain and her whole face scrunched up as she strained, pushing the last kit into the world.

"Another tom!" Goldenwing bent her head quickly and began cleaning him, but I nosed her hard enough to force her to look up at me. "What?" she snapped.

"I'd like to do this one," I said.

Goldenwing rolled her eyes in irritation. "Fine. Do whatever. He's your kit." She picked him up and deposited him in front of me, gentle despite her harsh words from earlier. She padded around to Dawnshine's head and pressed her nose against her ears. "Congratulations," she whispered. "You did a great job. And look, you have four beautiful kits now." She smiled.

I began licking my son, rubbing him the way I'd seen Goldenwing clean the other three—starting with the chest and moving upward toward the head, then down to the tail. It was an odd taste, nothing I'd imagined tasting before, and I'd tasted some strange things on my fur in my time. It was rather slimy and salty. I almost spat it out, but then realized I'd be spitting it out onto my kit.

Finally, after I'd gotten him to squeal a little and fluffed his mostly dry fur, I placed him next to his siblings. Dawnshine blinked open her eyes and gazed at them, lying neatly in a row along her belly. "Four kits," she murmured sleepily.

"It's over average size, I think," I meowed, pressing my nose to the top of her head. "I'm so proud of you."

She leaned into my touch, purring for a moment, then gazed back at the kits. "What should we name them?" she asked, suppressing a yawn.

I followed her gaze to the kits. Before they were born I'd fantasized about what names I'd give them, but now they seemed overblown and ridiculous. Who names their kit something like Hawkkit? First off, there's the syllable clash, and second off there's the expectation of the kit being a great fighter. What if they decide to be a medicine cat? Last I checked, hawks weren't very good at chewing up marigold leaves to make a poultice.

"I dunno," I murmured. "What do you think?"

She nudged me. "I was focused on other things during their kitting. You seemed fascinated with the first two, though. How about you name them?"

"Fine. As long as you get the next two."

She purred softly but didn't answer beyond that. I hoped it was assent.

I gazed first at the dark gray tom, then at the pale gray she-kit. One like me, the other like Dawnshine. I wondered if they'd have eyes like ours to boot.

"The tom practically howled as he was being cleaned," I remembered. "How about Wolfkit, for his strong voice?"

Dawnshine rested her head against my shoulder. "Mmm," she murmured. "Wolfkit it is."

"And the she-kit, she pressed a paw against Goldenwing's nose as she was being cleaned. I thought it was because she was annoyed at being cleaned, but maybe it's more that she felt a connection with Goldenwing. Like she secretly wants to be a medicine cat."

Dawnshine snorted. "You can't tell that after she's only a couple moments old. That's mousebrained."

"You said I could name her," I reminded Dawnshine teasingly. "I think she should be named after an herb."

"Which one?"

I cast my mind around. What herb would suit her best? Actually it was more like what herb could I think up on short notice. My mind was coming up with a blank.

"Well?"

"Um… sage," I said finally.

"Sagekit?"

"Yeah. Sagekit."

"I like it," Dawnshine purred. "Wolfkit and Sagekit. Two beautiful kits."

"What about the other two?" I nosed her cheek. "You said you'd name them."

"I didn't actually _say_ so," she teased, her pale blue eyes sparkling with laughter. But she grew serious again as she stared at the other two kits, considering them. "The other she-kit looks like river water. It's so dark, like yours."

"We're not naming her Riverkit or Waterkit," I said immediately. "Riverkit's been taken by Riverstar and Waterkit sounds dumb."

"Don't insult the names," Dawnshine protested, but she smiled anyway. "I wasn't thinking of those. I was thinking of how willow trees usually grow around rivers, all clustered in groups."

"Willowkit?"

"Why not?"

I considered it for a heartbeat. It was a good name, I couldn't deny that. I smiled. "Wolfkit, Sagekit, and Willowkit." I paused for a moment then, gazing at the fourth kit. "What do you want to name the last one?"

"I…" She yawned again and her eyes slid closed. "I'm too tired. You think of one."

"You said you'd name the last two!" I protested, poking her in the side. "You can't go to sleep on me now!"

"You cleaned him. You seemed to connect with him."

"But I'm too tired."

"Well what if I'm tired too?"

She fixed me with a piercing look. "Who just gave birth to four kits, you or me?" she asked. I didn't reply. "Exactly," she said. "Who's more tired, me or you?"

"But he has your fur. He should connect with you."

"He has yours too. Look at his forelegs and tail. All stripedy. Like shadows from tree branches."

"Okay then. We'll name him Shad—"

"Shadowkit's been taken by Shadowstar, as you so kindly pointed out about Riverkit."

"I… I wasn't going to say Shadowkit," I invented.

"Liar."

"No, really!"

"What were you going to name him then?"

"I was going to name him… Shadekit." I grinned. "See? Wasn't going to say Shadowkit at all. I know it's already been taken."

Dawnshine reached up and pressed her nose against the side of my muzzle. "You know what I think? I think we're both too tired to think properly." She smiled up at me. "Go sleep. I'll look after the kits."

"I'm not leaving you," I insisted, circling around behind her and pressing against her spine, resting my chin on my paws to gaze at the kits. _My kits. I'm a father._

"Oh, fine," Dawnshine whispered, flopping down beside me. She shut her eyes and exhaled slowly, relaxing into the moss.

I stayed awake as she drifted off to sleep. I knew I needed to be awake for tomorrow, what with it being the day of the battle/not-battle and all, but I just couldn't seem to relax. I kept staring at the kits. Wolfkit, Sagekit, Willowkit, and Shadekit. My kits. _My kits_. It was just so overwhelming.

I pressed my cheek against Dawnshine's shoulder. She shifted a little but didn't wake up, already snoring a little. It was just a little hum as she exhaled. I realized I'd never actually listened to her sleep before. It was comforting, but not quite enough to lull me to sleep. I kept waiting for the next noise, then the next, then the next. Then one of the kits started snoring too.

At some point I must have fallen asleep, because sooner than I would've thought possible the light was streaming through the nursery entrance, blinding me. The night had ended, and it was time to face the morning.

* * *

 **I couldn't quite figure out how to end it... Hope it's good anyway.**

 **I absolutely adore the kits! Thanks to everyone who submitted OCs for consideration! I know I originally said three, but I ended up deciding to accept four because I couldn't decide between them all. ^^;**

 **QOTD (because why not): Did you make any New Years resolutions? If so, have you kept them so far? If not, any particular reason why?**

 **Next chapter will hopefully be out soon!**


	19. The Battle Begins

**Hey everyone! I want to say thank you to all of you who reviewed last chapter. It's wonderful to know that, despite my super-break, there are still people who want me to finish. :) Thanks so much!**

 **This chapter's a little shorter than last one's 6,000 words, but I'm still excited with how long it is. It's only about 500 words less, I think. I absolutely love doing the longer chapters, it really gets me more into the story and lets me delve into the characters more than I'd be able to with shorter, 1,000-2,000 word chapters. It helps me love sitting down to write a little more, even though I need to set aside more time to do the writing.**

 **I've got a couple snow days, as I'm getting over a foot of snow in an insane storm, so I was able to finish this chapter. I won't be able to finish the next one before Monday, sadly, but hopefully the snow will remain into next week and I'll get a couple more snow days during which I can finish the last chapter and the epilogue. Yes, I'm including one, mainly because I want to feature kits and aftermath and all. One more thing: if I accidentally mistyped a name in this chapter, I'm really sorry. I kept catching myself typing Sootthorn or Rainpaw for some reason. I think I fixed them all, but still, I'm sorry in advance.**

 **Leopardstar2002: Me too! Let's hope he can get past his hatred and really love his kits like a father should. **

**QLKwriter: *hands package of inspiration* Go see what your characters want to do! I bet they're aching to get out of your mind and stretch their muscles a little. ;) I get the feeling that some people make a resolution to not forget their New Years Resolutions and then forget to do that. One of my friends wrote down all of hers so she doesn't forget them.**

 **Nightbird1648: Thanks! *gives hug* Why didn't you do any resolutions? I've heard a lot of people say New Years Resolutions are overrated, is that why? Or could you just not think of any, like me? XD**

 **ShadowHawk540-2: Shadekit's so adorable! *hugs Shadekit* Thank you for still reading this! I hope you're loving it as much as I am again. :)**

 **Willowdream of ForestClan: I was getting a little annoyed with him being so heartless. I think that's part of what was holding me back from writing. XD Helping him see good again definitely helped me start writing again.**

* * *

 **Cinderstar's POV**

The sky dawned that morning with streaks of orange blazing across the pale sky like fiery lightning. I wondered if even the sunrise was against this battle. It wouldn't surprise me. When had Sootstar become this bloodthirsty? He could easily pass as a freaking rogue. A _rogue._

Foxtooth stared at me intently from his position beside me, tail flicking back and forth, creating a furrow in the snow drifted against the edges of camp. "Cinderstar."

"What?" I didn't look over at him, but continued staring at the sunrise. He'd gotten out of the medicine den last night and was already starting to get on my nerves. I could concentrate much easier on my leader duties while he wasn't hanging around me.

"You're not listening to me."

"Yes I am."

Foxtooth nosed under my chin. "No you aren't. You're not looking at me."

"I can still hear you."

"But that's not the point!" Foxtooth dug his claws into the snow in frustration. "We're mates! We're meant to give each other our full attention when we talk to each other."

I flicked my ear. " _Technically_ we're not mates."

" _Technically_ doesn't have anything to do with it. I asked you if you'd like to be my mate and you said yes, what more do you want?"

I finally looked in his direction, a half-smile breaking through my battle mask. "Are you sure you want an answer to that?"

Foxtooth hesitated, then froze, looking mortified. "Erm… no, I'm good," he muttered. "Um…"

"I didn't think so," I laughed, nosing his shoulder. His eyes lit up and he grinned. I glanced away, across the clearing to where Twigpaw and Morningpaw pushed their way out of the apprentices' den, then up at the sunrise again. I hated looking into other cats' eyes; it made me feel too vulnerable. Like they could see into my soul and know exactly what I was thinking, reading my innermost emotions. It was creepy. Who would like something like that?

Apparently Foxtooth. He exhaled despondently as he glanced back at the ground and began tracing his tail in the snow again. I swear he was the only cat I knew who could add emotion into anything. Not even Rainstar was that good.

 _Rainstar._ If Sootstar was going to attack quickly it was likely he'd either attack SkyClan or WindClan. I knew that SkyClan would be ready, judging from Rockstar's attitude last night, but what if he went for WindClan? It was likely, as Rainstar would probably surrender the fastest out of all the leaders, fearing for the safety of his Clanmates. In the height of battle, with blood spattering all around him, would Rainstar be able to push his warriors forward, even if they were winning, if they were already wounded to the brink of exhaustion? I doubted it. Sootstar would find an easy victory on WindClan territory.

But then he'd have to face the rest of the Clans and, already exhausted after one battle, ThunderClan wouldn't be able to hold off SkyClan, ShadowClan, and RiverClan for long. What could his strategy be? What would drive him to declare war when he was so clearly outmatched?

I shrugged it off. The sun was visible above the tops of the pine trees. The Clan was up and finishing their scavenged meal. It was time to assist WindClan and SkyClan in confining ThunderClan to their own territory and teaching Sootstar a lesson in leadership.

Leaving Foxtooth sitting by the side of camp, I ran lightly across to my den, clawing my way up to the low-hanging branch and standing tall on top of it, chin held high like the leader I was. "ShadowClan," I called in a ringing voice, "it's almost time."

Most of the Clan bounded over to sit beneath me, heads tilted back to look up at me. I reveled in their gazes, pride filling me up as I looked from face to face, quickly enough to avoid extended eye contact but slowly enough for each to know I looked at them. Each one had accepted me as their leader. Each one would trust me with their lives. Well, if they trusted me enough to be willing to do that, then I'd just have to repay the favor by guarding them with each one of my remaining lives.

"Cats of ShadowClan," I started again as the last few cats trotted over, still chewing the last of their frozen fresh-kill. "Last night, Sootstar of ThunderClan declared war on the rest of the Clans. Today we must prove our right to the name of warrior. Though the peace must be broken today, let us join with the other Clans, let us triumph over ThunderClan, so that by the time the sun sets again, the bloodshed will have faded once again."

Cheers echoed around the camp and I grinned, buoyed up by my warriors' support. But just as quickly, I was brought back down to hard reality.

Foxtooth stood near the edge of the gathering, staring up at me with a cool gaze. "What if we are forced to fight loved ones? What if we refuse to fight?"

I considered him for a moment. His words automatically made me think of Sootstar, of the times when I called him my brother. Such wonderful times. For a heartbeat I wished myself back then, to when life was easier and my brothers were closer to me than my own life. I'd give up my pelt for them without a second thought. But after my fight with Sootstar last night, it seemed those ties had well and truly broken. And I couldn't be sorry they were gone. My Clan needed me to be strong. They looked to me for leadership and I needed to give it to them.

But why would Foxtooth bring up that particular question? To get back at me for ignoring him that morning? But Foxtooth didn't do that, he always forgave. He always sought the best in others. Just like Rainstar. But then why would he ask about that?

 _Of course._ Rustpelt. His brother was Sootstar's deputy. Stormtuft had pronounced Foxtooth healthy enough to fight today, so it was more than likely Foxtooth would meet Rustpelt in battle. Kindhearted as he was, Foxtooth probably wouldn't dare attack his own brother. Rustpelt probably wouldn't even attack Foxtooth back. Loyalties must be to one's Clan first, but then again, if cats saw enemy warriors refusing to fight each other, perhaps they might end the battle earlier and thereby reduce the number of wounds and possible deaths.

I hesitated a moment longer, unwilling to go against the warrior code, but I figured I'd take my own advice and blurted out, "Go with your gut feeling. If you think it will decrease the amount of loss today, do it."

Foxtooth dipped his head, though he kept eye contact all through, as though challenging me. "As you say, Cinderstar." It was probably my imagination that he stressed the last half of my name. I let it go.

"ShadowClan, it is time. Let's go." Lifting my tail dramatically, I swept it downward and leaped forward off the branch. For a heartbeat I flew through the air, the wind ruffling my belly fur as though I was flying, leading my Clan forward into battle on a pair of eagle's wings. Then my paws hit the ground and I raced for the entrance, warriors streaming around and behind me, their eyes alight with adrenaline and excitement for the coming battle.

* * *

About halfway through the forest, I noticed Foxtooth was running just behind me. I slowed, letting him catch up. He didn't shift his pace at all, though, and kept his eyes fixed ahead of him.

"Hey," I meowed softly.

Foxtooth ignored me.

"Foxtooth."

He turned, staring at me out of the corners of his hazel eyes. "What?"

"I… I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"I don't know!" I leaped over a fallen branch, stamping the ground on the other side harder than I'd meant to. "But apparently I did something!"

Foxtooth's gaze softened a little, as I guessed it would. "It's okay, I guess," he said, turning to look ahead again. "I just… I'm not used to you having leader duties as well, maybe."

"Well neither am I."

"No, I mean… not the duties themselves, exactly, but more the time they take up." He looked sideways at me, giving me his full attention for the first time. I glanced over at him, saw his eyes staring into mine, and glanced ahead again instinctively. "Remember when we went to get RiverClan? It was just us together, day after day after day. We spent all our time together."

I snorted to myself, remembering all the times I'd tried to get rid of him, but made sure Foxtooth didn't hear.

"I wish we could do that again. I'm only seeing you once, maybe twice every day, and even then we're not actually spending quality time together. Cinderstar… I want to be mates. I want to act like mates and talk like mates and spend time together like mates. Maybe we don't have to have kits quite yet, but I…" he trailed off hopelessly. "I really like you," he said earnestly.

In a few moments we would be fighting a battle. This was way not the time for this talk. But if Foxtooth wanted to talk, maybe I should entertain him for now. At least until I smelled SkyClan or ThunderClan scents.

"I like spending time with you too," I meowed, and my stomach constricted as though I was telling a lie. But I wasn't, was I. I certainly didn't think so, but maybe I should rephrase it just in case. "You're an awesome cat and a real asset to this Clan. You're a great Clanmate to everyone."

Foxtooth smiled and ducked his head self-consciously, then nuzzled my shoulder briefly. After a moment, I realized I should probably return the gesture. It was so hard to tell when I should be all romantic and lovey towards him. I almost wished he wouldn't spend as much time around me, so I wouldn't feel as guilty about having to blow him off.

"Thanks," he murmured. I half-glanced in his direction, wondering whether or not he'd notice it and whether or not I should try to think up a response to that. Fortunately, the scents from the border hit my nostrils and I slowed, turning my attention to a much more pressing issue.

There didn't seem to be anyone at the border. I padded cautiously forward, sniffing at the markers. They were at least a day old. Perhaps SkyClan was too busy guarding their ThunderClan border to care much about protection from ShadowClan. I snorted to myself at the change in stereotypes; it seemed like ThunderClan was becoming the warmongers for once. Still, it didn't seem wise to lead a battle patrol across another Clan's territory.

"We'll cross SkyClan territory by the lake," I called to my Clanmates. "It's technically allowed, and I'd prefer to avoid any unnecessary conflict. Remember to stay within three tail-lengths of the water's edge, even if it starts splashing up on your fur. Water won't kill you."

I distinctly heard Tanglefur mutter, "Wimps," behind me but didn't confront him. Instead, I beckoned with my tail and turned to head directly along the border, cutting off Foxtooth so he was forced to fall behind. I hoped he didn't think I did it on purpose. That would lead to some awkward questions later, ones he admittedly was probably already thinking. But I'd deal with those after the battle. Right now I had a brother to fight.

The lake looked strangely calm through the trees as I began leading the trek over the gray sand. It was a stormy color, reflecting the low clouds overhead, promising a snow shower later. I hoped it wouldn't start during the battle, as the freezing flakes might cause distractions. Hunger-stricken as we were, we needed our wits about us. _Why_ did Sootstar have to start a freaking _battle_ in the middle of _Leafbare?_ It was the absolute _worst_ time for one!

I kicked a stone into the water. It disrupted the mostly flat surface, breaking it into contrasting stripes of pale and stormy grays. I watched them disappear, trying to keep pace with the ripples as they faded, falling to the overbearing continuity of the overall surface. I wondered if the lake was a prophecy, showing how this battle would fade into the overall history of the Clans as nothing more than a small rock thrown into the waters of time.

I shook my head. This was no time to be getting metaphorical. Battles were not metaphorical. They were literal as in blood guts and death literal. They were literal as in pain injury last words literal. I didn't think anything could get much more literal than that. I couldn't have my head in the figurative clouds when I was trying to fight a literal battle.

The ThunderClan border appeared ahead. I slowed down, sniffing at the border markings. They seemed even older than SkyClan's. What was Sootstar doing with his Clan? Didn't he even know how to lead well? Though I supposed if he was starting random battles against the other Clans he probably didn't have a clue.

A rustle sounded in the trees ahead. I swept my tail back and forth as fast as I could, diving behind a bramble bush and wriggling underneath. I was quickly joined by Frozenwhisker, whose eyes sparkled with adrenaline as he stared forward, trying to make out the possible enemy. Through the thorny fronds I saw Foxtooth hesitate, see that there was no more room under the bush with me, then leap up into a tree, hiding behind the trunk in the absence of leaves.

A figure stepped out toward the border and paused, gazing around at the suddenly deserted territory. I peered out from underneath and caught a glimpse of fluffy gray paws. My breathing hitched for a moment as I recognized Rainstar's fur.

"I know you're here, Cinderstar," he said. "I can smell your scent. Not going for much of a stealthy approach this time, eh?"

I slipped out from under the bush, motioning to Frozenwhisker to stay hidden. "Hello, Rainstar," I meowed calmly. "Fancy seeing you here."

Rainstar looked a little tired. I wondered whether he'd been up late worrying over the fate of his warriors. But if he was so worried, then why was he here on the opposite side of ThunderClan's territory? It didn't make sense.

"I have come with a proposition," Rainstar meowed. "If you would accompany me to ThunderClan's camp, I will expand on it."

"What proposition?" I asked warily. There was no way I was going to the ThunderClan camp. What if it was a trap?

"Please, Cinderstar, I need you to trust me. Would I lead you into an ambush?" His eyes went wide and pleading. I recognized the expression from when he was sucking up to Lightwing when we were kits, begging for _one_ _more_ bedtime story.

"What proposition?" I repeated, stubbornly refusing to yield to his kitten-eyes.

Rainstar sighed, dropping his gaze. "The proposition of a truce, or at least a temporary one. No fighting until we have a chance to talk."

"How do I know I can trust you?" I half hissed. "How do I know Sootstar didn't set you up to this?"

"You don't," Rainstar said simply. "Except that I'm your brother. Would I knowingly lead you into a trap? Am I that kind of cat?"

"It doesn't matter—"

" _Yes it does._ We grew up together, doesn't that count for anything?"

I lashed my tail in frustration. "Rainstar, we have to act like actual leaders! Actual leaders didn't grow up together! I can't just trust you this easily, I'd be betraying my Clan!"

"These aren't normal Clans," Rainstar insisted. "These aren't normal times. We aren't normal leaders. We can't base our lives off of the lives of previous leaders. They responded the way they felt was right to the situations that arose during their leadership. If we take anything from them we should take that."

I shook my head, turning away. If I agreed, it would make me look weak in front of my Clan. Still, I was curious to know how this played out, and if it avoided bloodshed, all the better, right? I clenched my teeth for a heartbeat, then spat out, "Fine." I looked back up at Rainstar, meeting his blue eyes with my matching ones. "Fine. But I'm bringing my warriors with me."

Rainstar hesitated, glancing behind me. I twitched my tail and they began emerging. His eyes widened when he saw how many I'd brought. "A… _all_ of them?" he asked, a hint of nervousness entering his voice for the first time.

I narrowed my eyes. "Yes. Those are my terms."

"I…" Rainstar bit his lip, then gave a short, forced dip of his head. "Just remember that this is a peace talk. No fighting or instigating allowed."

"You heard Rainstar?" I shot a glance over my shoulder. "No hostile behavior. Not unless we're attacked." My eyes narrowed as I stared back at Rainstar. "Then show them what ShadowClan's made of."

Rainstar nodded as he turned to lead the way deeper into ThunderClan territory. "That's fair I guess," he muttered. "My warriors are waiting at the camp."

During the walk through the forest I tried to avoid eye contact with both Rainstar and Foxtooth, which was difficult as the toms flanked me. I stared straight ahead, concentrating on lifting my paws high enough to clear the layer of snow on the ground. I set a fast pace, hoping to get the awkward walk over with, but Rainstar refused to walk any faster and I was forced to fall back by his side, flicking the snow with my tail in irritation. Finally, this drawn-out torture session ended and I caught sight of the hollow opening ahead.

This time it was Rainstar setting the fast pace as I tried to slow down, nervous about walking through the snow so close to the steep drop. What if I slipped and fell? Besides losing another life, I didn't think I'd be able to cope with the humiliation, what with it being in front of my whole Clan and all. I dodged around Rainstar's other side, hugging the treeline to keep as far away from the edge as possible. Foxtooth didn't seem to notice.

The camp entrance was blocked by a mess of thorns. I pressed my belly to the ground and pushed my way through, flattening my ears to the top of my head to avoid cutting them. Honestly, it surprised me that the apprentices weren't constantly slicing their ears open.

Sootstar sat in the center of the clearing, perfectly emotionless, his shadowed features blurred into his fur. He looked like the silhouette of a cat with glowing, dark blue eyes. I had a sudden shock of déjà vu and was cast back to the first time I ever set foot in this camp. Sootstar looked exactly like Ashthorn had then.

"Cinderstar," he said tersely. "I'm glad you came."

"What's your _problem?_ " I marched over and shoved my face close to his. I knew I was violating my own rules about not instigating a fight but I couldn't help it. I doubted Sootstar would fight back anyway, at least not yet. "What's the idea, starting a war now? It's the _middle of Leafbare!_ "

"I was wrong," he said calmly. "You're right. I should not have started the war."

I blinked. I hadn't expected him to so readily admit his wrongdoing. Recovering, I flicked my tail across the trodden-down snow. "So what do you expect to happen? Everyone says it's all fine and we skip happily into the sunset? This isn't a game, Sootstar, it isn't a kit-story. It's real life. You can't just gloss over your mistakes."

He kept his gaze level. I wondered if he'd practiced this at all, sitting alone in his den speaking to the wall. Or maybe speaking to Rainstar. Was that why he looked so tired? I glanced sideways at him, but Rainstar's gaze was trained on the ground. Had they struck some sort of deal?

I worked my claws nervously in the snow as Sootstar began speaking again. "I was overcome by my anger, Cinderstar. I was thinking about Ashthorn, about how he continually sticks his nose into our lives, even though he's in StarClan and not meant to meddle with us anymore. I wanted to do something he wouldn't expect, something he couldn't have predicted."

"Why are you so obsessed with him?" I whispered. "He's dead, isn't he? He can't touch you anymore."

"He can come to us in dreams. Don't pretend he hasn't come to you." For the first time a spark of anger entered his eyes, but he blinked it away. "He came to me too. He told me I was becoming like him. He said he was… _proud_ of me."

I squared my jaw. "Let him be proud of you then. Let him be the father he wants to be."

"He was never a father to us and you know it. Where was he during the first ten moons of our life? Where was he when we returned in search of him? When did he open his heart to us?"

"He told us what he'd done, he apologized before he died. Isn't that enough?"

"That's exactly my point though. It was _right before he died._ He knew he wouldn't survive his wounds. Why not get his kits to love him while he still could?" Sootstar's voice turned bitter. "He never loved us. I bet he never really wanted kits. The only thing stopping him from sending us off was his pride and the possibility he could use us to boast of his own power. 'Look at what my kits could do. Look at how well I raised them.' " He broke off, taking a deep breath. "I'm a father now, Cinderstar. I can't afford to abandon my kits like Ashthorn did to us. I can't raise them the same way."

I went quiet. Everything he said made sense, and yet… I couldn't abandon the hope that Ashthorn still loved us. He must, he was our father after all. Fathers always loved their kits. It was one of the givens in life. Leafbare comes after Leaffall. The lake is a shade of blue or gray. At night the stars come out. Fathers love their kits. But why couldn't I think up an argument as good as Sootstar's?

"You're a father? As in officially?"

Sootstar dipped his head. "Yeah. They're not even a full day old yet but they're… they've arrived."

Despite the tension of the moment, despite the impeding battle, I couldn't suppress a flicker of excitement. My brother's kits. How many were there? What did they look like? Had any of them somehow inherited my or Rainstar's coloring?

Sootstar appeared to read my thoughts in my eyes. He half smiled. "Would you like to see them?"

I nodded, glancing at Rainstar again. "Coming?"

"Rainstar's already been in," Sootstar meowed, getting to his paws. He led the way across the camp, twitching his paws a little with each step to rid them of snow. I suddenly remembered how he hated snow as a kit, how he couldn't stand how it caked his fur and melted into patches of water, cold against his skin. It seemed the distaste had persisted through the moons.

He ducked through the entrance first, so that by the time I'd slipped into the warmth, he had already crouched down beside them.

Four kits lay tangled together in the moss, tails and paws sticking everywhere. My breath caught in my throat as I saw their tiny bodies, covered from nose to tail in soft kit-fluff like the down feathers of birds.

"They're split even between you and Dawnshine," I murmured, bending down to sniff them. "Two toms, two she-cats, and two of each coloring." _None like me or Rainstar,_ I thought to myself sadly. I supposed I'd just have to wait for Rainstar to have kits.

"Where's Dawnshine?"

Sootstar shrugged. "Dirtplace, probably."

"Shouldn't she be with her kits? Aren't they too young to be left alone?"

"Even queens have to make dirt." Sootstar raised his eyebrows. "And Amberwing would be in here if she hadn't taken her kits to play in the old elders' den."

It was my turn to shrug. "Okay, whatever. They're your kits I guess."

Sootstar gave a couple of them a last nuzzle and got to his paws to lead the way out of the nursery. I gazed at them a moment longer before turning to follow. They were so precious. And after Sootstar's speech I couldn't help but wonder whether Ashthorn had loved us as much as Sootstar loved these four.

I emerged from the nursery and ran right into Sootstar's hindquarters. Stumbling backwards, my fur tangling in the thorns (why would anyone put the kits in a thorn trap?), I spat out a mouthful of his fur and prodded his heels with a paw. "Move your butt. You're in my way."

He didn't move. Rolling my eyes, I shoved my head between the nursery wall and his hind leg and pushed myself through, pulling myself free from the nursery and leaving half my pelt behind on the thorns. Lovely. Now some of my protection against the chilly wind was gone. Glancing up to see what Sootstar was staring at, I froze, and not from the breeze.

It was as though a puddle of water had been turned vertical, reflecting Sootstar's image to create two of him, except that the reflection had stars tangled in his translucent fur. Ashthorn smiled at Sootstar, who had gone rigid as though frozen into an icicle.

"Congratulations on your new sons and daughters," he purred. "I'm sure they'll grow up big and strong just like their papa."

I stared past him, trying to make out Rainstar's expression from across the clearing. He looked tense and worried. We made eye contact and for once I didn't look away. In this moment I thought we completely understood each other. Both of us knew how this would play out.

Ashthorn took a step forward, ducking his broad head conspiratorially. "If you'd like, I could give you a couple tips on parenting."

I tried to leap between them but in a rush of fur and bloodthirsty screeching, Sootstar hurtled straight for Ashthorn, who slipped sideways out of the way. Sootstar landed and kicked out with his powerful hind legs, catching Ashthorn off guard and knocking him to the ground. Ashthorn rolled and Sootstar's paws slammed into the snow exactly where Ashthorn's throat had been a moment before. His claws left deep imprints in the icelike snow.

"Stop!" I lunged for Sootstar, tackling him and slamming his ribcage into the ground. He grunted, coughing, and I released him, but he immediately leaped for Ashthorn again and I was forced to snatch his tail and hold him back. "Rainstar!" I cast a desperate look behind me, only to see my brother already sprinting to help. He piled on top of Sootstar, shoving his muzzle beside his ear.

"Calm down!" he hissed.

"He… he…" Sootstar gasped for air, panting, claws scraping at the ground, the glint of hatred in his twilight blue eyes.

"He insulted you."

I whipped around at the higher voice. Dawnshine stood a couple tail-lengths behind me, staring at Sootstar through half-closed eyes. "He insulted you, Sootstar. Are you going to stand for that?"

Sootstar's efforts to free himself from Rainstar redoubled. Rainstar lost his grip and Sootstar shot at Ashthorn again, his teeth bared in a snarl. "You will not touch my life again!" he hissed, lashing out with the speed of a fleeing rabbit. Ashthorn barely dodged, ducking to snap his teeth at Sootstar's paw.

"Why are you egging him on?" I growled, advancing on Dawnshine. "What's your problem? You should be resting." My eyes traveled from her half-closed eyes to her drooping whiskers to her tail, sweeping the ground as though she didn't have enough strength to lift it. "After kitting late last night you must be exhausted."

"I'm fine," Dawnshine insisted, crouching and fixing me with a glare. "In fact, I'm glad the kits are gone. It makes my job much easier."

"What—"

She leaped at me, claws extended. I was too shocked to dodge, but instead crashed to the ground, rolling with Dawnshine's momentum. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Foxtooth dancing nervously nearby, torn between helping me and injuring a nursing queen. The rest of ShadowClan had drawn together into a protective circle, eying the warriors from ThunderClan and WindClan with a sudden mistrust.

"Don't—" I tried to shout, but Dawnshine pressed herself closer to me, muffling my voice with her thick Leafbare fur.

"Attack!" she cried, imitating Sootstar with surprising accuracy.

A couple warriors made half-hearted advances on ShadowClan, but most remained uncertainly in place. I gasped a breath of relief. Maybe battle could still be avoided.

"What are you waiting for?" Adderclaw, the WindClan deputy, leaped forward, teeth bared in a vicious grimace. "Attack!" He dove at the ShadowClan patrol. The confused WindClan warriors split, half following him toward the ShadowClan cats and half attacking ThunderClan. Sootstar's warriors, likewise baffled, resorted to defending themselves from the sudden onslaught, as did my Clanmates. I watched helplessly as red started to spatter the snow.

"What's your problem?" I spat at Dawnshine, suddenly forgetting about her four kits asleep in the nursery. I dug my claws deep into her fur, throwing her to the ground beside me, but she barely winced, her claws remaining tangled in my fur.

"Don't you get it?" she hissed, a grin forming on her lips. "This is the only way I can get my sister back."

I kicked her belly and she rolled away, scrambling to her paws for a new attack. "What are you talking about?" I repeated.

"Featherpaw! It's all about Featherpaw!" She lunged at me and I dodged, rolling away from her claws as they flashed out to the side, just missing my flank.

"How will starting a war get you your sister back?" I lashed my tail for balance, then shot underneath her like a snake, snapping my teeth shut on her hind leg and pulling it forward, underneath her belly.

"Ashthorn promised to send her back in one of my kits if I helped him. It's the only way!"

"What about waiting to see her again in StarClan?"

"I haven't seen her in five moons," Dawnshine spat, yanking her foot out of my mouth and spinning around to kick me in the chest. Her paw left a bloody pawprint in my fur. "It's too long. I can't wait a lifetime, I just can't!"

"She'll hate you for what you're doing!" I rolled to my paws and leaped over her back, twisting in midair and landing on her back, knocking her into the snow.

Spitting out a mouthful of snow, Dawnshine glared up at me. "What would you do?" she whispered. "Imagine it. Just imagine it. What if Sootstar or Rainstar died in this battle? What if they lost all nine lives at once? Then imagine having to live without them for _nine lives_. Would you be able to do it?"

I shook my head to clear it. "I wouldn't resort to starting battles to get them back."

"But would you?"

"No," I spat, though I was only about half sure I wasn't lying. "I'd survive. I'd miss them but I wouldn't resort to some sort of dark magic to bring them back."

Dawnshine grinned, but at that moment she was distracted by a loud yowl from the top of the hollow. I glanced up and spotted the silhouettes of a battle patrol. Rearing onto my hind legs, I sniffed at the air and detected a mixture of SkyClan's dusty, windswept scent and RiverClan's fishy breath.

"Looks like some reinforcements have arrived," she said, her pale eyes flashing. "Imagine how happy they'll be to be welcomed by the death of their least favorite leader."

Before I could move, she'd slipped past me and dashed to where Sootstar and Ashthorn still sparred, tackling Sootstar and pinning him to the ground with her claws to his throat. My heart dropping to beat in one of my hind paws, I lunged after her, my too-late warning ringing through the hollow.

"Sootstar! Look out!"

* * *

 **Clllllliffhanger! :D Sorry about that, but I love cliffhangers, so I don't actually think I'm too sorry. Oh well. :P**

 **AOTD: I don't think I actively made many resolutions on New Years Day, but in the next couple days I'm pretty sure I told myself I'd start getting myself back into shape before PE starts next week. So far that's been sorta working, I do curl-ups and sometimes push-ups before bed if I'm not too tired. This isn't a resolution exactly, but earlier this week I made a document with three columns. On the left side is a list of things I spend my time doing and on the right side is a list of stuff I want to spend my time doing. In the middle is a resolution to make the lists match. The parts about school and homework can't exactly be changed, but it's helped me prioritize aspects of my life. I set it as my phone background and it's helped me feel better about what I spend my time doing. I definitely recommend doing it. ^^**

 **QOTD: In light of the snowstorm going on at my end, how do you feel about snow vs. no snow in winter?**


	20. Peace at Last

**I'm back! Finally!**

 **Sorry for not uploading in a while, I had a TON of homework to get done (still do in fact, it's what I'm going to do after I post this and shower). I stayed up until about 1 in the morning yesterday finishing this and I'm really happy with how it turned out! :) It's over 8,000 words long and actually edited for once. Hope you'll like it!**

 **Leopardstar2002: I'm glad you liked it, hopefully you'll like this one just as much! :) No promises about Foxtooth though...**

 **QLKwriter: I absolutely LOVE plot twists, if you haven't noticed. XD Dawnshine gets a little explanation in this chapter, I tried to work it in as best I could. If it's not enough let me know and I'll try to explain better in my next review reply!**

 **Silverkitty16: I'm sorry it was so confusing! Let me clarify: the kits are still there, just sleeping in the nursery. The war isn't centered on Featherpaw, but Dawnshine turned traitor because Ashthorn promised he would send her back. Hopefully I've provided enough explanation in this chapter!**

 **Willowdream of ForestClan: Last chapter was only buildup to this one... hope you like this one too! :D I agree, snow is wonderful, though it canceled my church too. :(**

 **Nightbird1648: Thank you! :) Hope you like this one just as much! I used the snow to stay inside and write, but there hasn't been much snow since so I haven't gotten a chance to work on this chapter...**

 **Shadows of Weeping Wolves: Sorry you had to wait so long! *shoves chapter at you* Here you are! *hugs* Thank you so much! I'm glad I motivate you to write, writing is a good thing to do. I don't even know how I was able to finish this. It started with me being bored one summer day and randomly pulling out my iPod Touch and typing up the first nine chapters in the notes app. Then I looked back and thought, "Hey, maybe this could actually become something." Then I fell in love with the characters and just kept going. This was after many stories had died on me, though. I think it just takes a lot of practice writing and a really good idea for something like this to happen. Then you need a ton of free time or the will to stay up super late writing... XD**

 **ShadowHawk540-2: I'm sorry it made you sad! *hugs* I hope this chapter's better!**

 **ilovewarriorcats: Muahaha, I have kidnapped her and she is currently sitting tied to a chair begging me not to post but I WILL NOT LISTEN MUAHAHAHA... or maybe I just got motivation for once. XD I'm glad you liked them! I love how Rainstar's developed in this book, he's really matured a lot. About the splitting up of the chapters, I considered it but figured they would be too short in comparison to the last two, so I merged them into one long chapter the way I'd originally planned. There will be an epilogue for the "getting back to normal life" part, but I thought the end of the battle and how they deal with the traitors could be one chapter. There will be a bit of Cinder &Fox this chapter, and hopefully then it will make more sense why I added their talk in last chapter. About Ashthorn, I figured if [SPOILERS FOR THE LAST HOPE] there could be a battle between the Dark Forest and StarClan and the normal cats all at once, Ashthorn would be able to fight in this battle. Featherpaw wanted Dawnshine to move on from her and live her own life and knew she wouldn't be able to do that if Featherpaw kept visiting her. Dawnshine would only live for the visits and possibly commit suicide to join her. And Rainstar left his warriors at the _ThunderClan_ camp. I don't think I specified which camp, but just assumed you'd realize it was ThunderClan's. Sorry about that! Hopefully this chapter will be better. :P**

* * *

 **Rainstar's POV**

I sat frozen in the middle of the clearing, watching the battle unfold. _No… no…_ this couldn't be happening. I'd allied myself with Sootstar specifically to avoid battle. Would it all go to waste now?

"St… stop," I croaked. My voice sounded like a forty-moon-old sparrow. I cleared it then tried again. "Stop. Stop!" I forced myself forward, taking a few tentative pawsteps. "Stop!" Willing my muscles to work again, I began bounding forward. "Stop! We need to keep the peace! Stop!" But my shouts were drowned out by louder cries.

"Fight! Show them WindClan is strong!" My eyes narrowed as I found the owner of the voice. It was Adderclaw, the one I had trusted enough to make my deputy despite his aggressive, immature behavior as a kit.

"Adderclaw!" I skidded to a stop in front of him. All around us the deafening yowls and screeches of battle almost drowned out my words. "What are you doing?"

"Encouraging our warriors, what do you think?" Adderclaw spat out blood and lunged for a cat just beside me. I jumped out of the way as they tumbled past, Adderclaw ripping at the cat's ginger fur. I rammed him with my head and he lost his balance, letting the bleeding cat go.

He turned to me incredulously. "What's the big idea? I'm trying to fight this battle!"

"Obviously," I replied coldly. "You were the one who started it. Don't think I didn't hear you a moment ago. What was it you said? 'What are you waiting for? Attack!'?" I snorted. "These cats didn't want to fight and you forced them into battle. It's Leafbare, we can't afford a mass battle like this!" I stepped forward, staring into his face. "Help me call off the battle. Prove your loyalty to WindClan and the warrior code."

Adderclaw gazed at me steadily, not saying a word. I narrowed my eyes. "That was an order, Adderclaw. Show your obedience toward your leader."

He still didn't move for a heartbeat. Then he smiled and dipped his head. I relaxed as he said, "Very well, Rainstar. I will show you where my loyalties lie." His choice of words made me pause, staring at him suspiciously as his grin widened. "I'll show you so you'll never have to question them again." And he leaped at me, claws outstretched towards my face.

If he hadn't given me advanced warning in his word choice and tone, he probably would've blinded me. Instead, his claws slashed a deep gash down my cheek.

The pain focused me, forcing the shock to the back of my mind. I unsheathed my claws, growling low in the back of my throat. An image flashed into my mind, of the first fight I'd ever won. Sootkit stood across from me in a sunny clearing, Cinderkit's voice in my mind. _Sootkit is much heavier than you. That means you can't unbalance him that easily._ I couldn't use my strength to unbalance him, but there were always other tactics that didn't require strength to use.

Suddenly diving forward, I rolled under Adderclaw's belly, knocking his hind legs out from underneath him. His back end collapsed, its momentum quickly bringing down his front. I took my chance and latched my claws into the soft skin just behind his shoulder blades. He howled and kicked his hind legs as he stood back up, trying to dislodge me. My claws jerked painfully but I refused to let go, holding on as he shook and plunged, jostling me back and forth, almost slamming my chin on the top of his head several times. I considered just letting my chin hit him, but it didn't seem worth it. Since my chin would've hit him right at the sharp point at the back of his skull behind his ears, it would've hurt me much more than him.

Finally, Adderclaw dropped to the ground. I tried to let go but I'd been hanging on so tight my claws were too tangled to let go quickly. His body weight crushed me for a moment, but to protect his belly from another attacker he was forced to keep rolling. I dodged his paws as they slammed down where I was a heartbeat before.

Adderclaw's eyes blazed with fury and he crouched, tail lashing as though preparing for another attack. But in the next heartbeat he lay thrashing in the packed snow, covered by a layer of golden fur. Hyperion had leaped onto his tail, then propelled himself onto the deputy's ears, smashing his chin into the ground. He nodded once to me as he sunk his claws into Adderclaw's fur. "I got you."

As I gasped in a breath of air, glancing gratefully up at him, I heard a voice from across the camp. My ears pricked up and I had a heart attack when I realized it was Cinderstar. _"Sootstar! Look out!"_

My paws were moving before I had time to properly process the information. Suddenly I found myself across the camp, where I saw Cinderstar lunging at Dawnshine, who pinned Sootstar beside a grinning Ashthorn. My mind reeled and I stumbled to a halt a good ten tail-lengths from the scene, watching dumbfounded as Cinderstar and Dawnshine tumbled to the ground, sliding across the snow.

"Cinderstar, what…" My eyes landed on Sootstar. Blood oozed from his neck, spreading across the dirty snow, too red to be a superficial wound. It was darker than a cardinal, darker than a woodpecker's head. My body went numb.

I dashed to his side, nosing his face repeatedly. "No… Sootstar? Sootstar! Wake up! Wake up wake up wake _up!"_

Sootstar groaned. I danced on the spot, terrified to try something in case it didn't work. Should I press my paws on his wound to stop the bleeding? Probably, except maybe if I did I'd cut off his airway and suffocate him by accident. But if I didn't do anything he'd bleed out.

He exhaled, long and slow. I crouched, silently begging him to inhale again, to prove to me he was fighting to stay alive. But his ribs refused to inflate and he went utterly still. Without the air usually filling his lungs he looked smaller, his shoulders less broad. He looked like me.

Something inside my chest fractured. I looked up and watched as Cinderstar grappled with Dawnshine on the ground, both she-cats spitting furiously at each other. Behind them, as though in slow motion, the battle patrols from RiverClan and SkyClan flooded into the already packed clearing, forcing the battling warriors closer to our little group. I stepped over Sootstar's motionless form, my belly fur pressing against his haunches as I crouched over him. No one was going to hurt him. Never again. I wouldn't allow it.

My eyes felt like miniature suns as they raked the clearing, taking in the scene. Who was fighting whom. Who was refusing to fight whom. I watched as Adderclaw passed right by Vixentail from ShadowClan only to leap onto Sparrowtalon. I spotted Badgertongue sweeping the clearing with her gleaming eyes, pausing only to exchange a nod with a pale brown SkyClan warrior. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Ashthorn watching the scene with a strangely satisfied expression.

He looked satisfied at a battle.

He attacked Sootstar.

This was his fault.

I barely registered what my muscles were doing until I slammed into Ashthorn, knocking him to the ground in a pin. " _You_ ," I spat, making sure flecks of it landed in his eyes. " _You. You_ set this up. It's _your_ idea, _your_ fault."

Ashthorn stared at me with a cool, unreadable expression. "So what if I did?" he asked, a slight smile curving his lips. "What are you going to do about it?" In a heartbeat he'd flipped me onto my back, pressing one paw against my throat. His claws pricked my skin as I struggled for breath. "You're no warrior. You can't even fight."

"No," I whispered, gasping against the pressure from his paw. He could crush my windpipe with just a little more.

"What was that?" Ashthorn leaned mockingly down, turning one ear toward me. "What were you saying, little Rainkit?"

I couldn't believe this was the same cat who had assured me he loved me in a dream. But then again, if he could lie so well when we first arrived at the lake, it shouldn't surprise me that he'd been lying to me then, too. And I'd fallen for it both times. Ashthorn must have been counting on how gullible I was, how trusting of everyone. Well I was done trusting him now. Sootstar was right; we should never have trusted him in the first place.

"No," I growled, feeling the vibration in my chest, deepening my voice to sound strangely like Sootstar's. "I'm not a warrior. I'm a _leader._ " I stared at him, my eyes searing his flesh. "It's time you handed over the title for good." Unsheathing my claws, I kicked him hard in the stomach, ripping through his skin like it was water.

Ashthorn gasped from the shock of sudden pain. I felt a flash of triumph. "What, were you expecting me to give up that easily?" Sheathing my claws again, I kicked him off and rolled onto my paws, coughing to reinflate my throat. "That was Rainkit, Rainpaw, and Rainsky. It's not going to be Rainstar."

Out of the corner of my eye I spotted Sootthorn getting to his paws. He looked tired but determined, and while blood still stained his neck fur the wound itself looked healed. His eyes narrowed as he took in the scene—Ashthorn and me facing off and Cinderstrike battling Dawnshine. He stepped forward and, bounding directly between me and Ashthorn, breaking our concentration completely, he headed straight for Dawnshine. Lunging suddenly, he knocked Cinderstrike aside and tackled Dawnshine, pinning her to the ground.

"What's your problem," he hissed. "What's wrong with you?"

Dawnshine laughed, her voice too loud and off-kilter. "Nothing! Absolutely nothing!"

"You _took one of my lives!_ " I heard his throat starting to close up, though it was so subtle I doubted Ashthorn and Dawnshine would notice. I moved a step closer, ready to dive in if Sootstar needed help, but held myself back all the same. He needed this moment alone with her. "How can you say nothing's wrong?"

"I can't go on without her! I need my Featherpaw!" Dawnshine was barely fighting back now. She stared up at the sky, her eyes wild. "Ashthorn can send her spirit back into one of my kits, just like Cinderpelt in the old stories! When she left Cinderheart was still Cinderheart. My kit will still be my kit when I die and Featherpaw and I will go up into StarClan together and live there forever!"

"You need to move on! You can't keep grieving this strongly!"

"She's my _sister!_ " Dawnshine screamed. Sootstar barely twitched his ears, though the volume must have painfully resounded inside them. "How can I stop grieving?"

"You need to live your own life! Dawnshine…" Sootstar was close to tears, I could tell. My heart reached out for him, yearning to wrap him in a hug and make everything all better. But I couldn't. Not yet, at least. He took a deep breath and continued, "You have a mate! You have _kits_ , for StarClan's sake! They need you, Dawnshine. _I_ need you!"

"Take some of your own advice for once!" Dawnshine kicked him in the belly, though thankfully her claws were sheathed, unlike mine had been with Ashthorn, and Sootstar didn't move. "Move on! Get over me, you hypocrite! You can't get me Featherpaw back!"

"Dawnshine… you can't mean that," Sootstar whispered. "What about the kits? Wolfkit, Sagekit, Willowkit, and Shadekit need you. You can't just abandon them."

"Kits have been raised without mothers before. They'll get over it," Dawnshine hissed. "Amberwing will take care of them." She looked away. "I never wanted kits anyway," she muttered.

Sootstar stared at her intensely for a couple heartbeats. The battle raged only a few tail-lengths away but it seemed as though the five of us were enclosed in a bubble, as if we were in a separate reality—connected, but still somehow separate from the outside world.

Finally, Dawnshine remembered to use her claws. Raking them down Sootstar's belly, she was able to wriggle free and turn on him, spitting angrily. "Ashthorn doesn't need me to distract you anymore. In fact, I'm starting to grow sick of you. See you in StarClan, Sootstar." She leaped at him, knocking him to the ground again and baring her teeth for the killing bite.

" _No!"_ I wasn't about to let Sootstar lose another life. My head slammed into Dawnshine's shoulder and she went flying through the air, tufts of Sootstar's fur caught in her claws. She crashed hard against the ground.

I glanced at Cinderstar. Her eyes were narrowed, her pupils dilated from adrenaline. She blinked once, then darted after Dawnshine. She lunged, landing on top of the gently stirring she-cat, and dipped her head down out of sight. After several endless heartbeats, her spasming limbs fell slowly onto the ground.

Cinderstar turned and spat red onto the snow. Padding back toward Sootstar and me, she muttered under her breath, "I hate the taste of blood." I pressed my nose against her cheek.

"Well, well. It seems you've become a murderer, Cinderstar. How does it feel to know you've taken a life? How does—"

"Some life she took," I growled, turning back to Ashthorn. For a moment, I'd forgotten he was there. It seemed he had a soft spot for watching battles from afar. Perhaps he'd gotten used to it in StarClan. "Dawnshine was barely living on her own, I'd guess. She… she invested too much of herself in her sister." I glanced briefly at Cinderstar and Sootstar.

Ashthorn prowled forward, his eyes glimmering. He didn't answer, but merely stared at us, his eyes flicking from me to Cinderstar to Sootstar and back again.

"So," Cinderstar growled, taking a step forward. "So, you organized this, did you? This battle, everything that's gone wrong this Leafbare. It's all your fault."

Ashthorn shrugged. "I'd be lying if I said no."

Her eyes narrowed. "Why? Why would you set the Clans up for destruction? Do you hate us that much?"

His voice suddenly grew deeper, more serious. "I never wanted kits. I didn't want to have to deal with you three. I hoped… I hoped you'd go off with Lightwing and never return. I extended the fighting so I wouldn't have to go join you in that damned forest and be a father. Then all of a sudden you turn up and lead the way to victory over NightClan. What was I supposed to think? You stole my glory! Now the stories will revere _you_ when they were meant to revere _me._ "

He sank his claws into the snow. "If I led you to ruin then you'd be remembered as the leaders who couldn't lead, the leaders who gave themselves over to rash, emotional behavior, the leaders who formed the Clans again, then led them to ruin." Ashthorn flicked his tail at the crowd of battling Clans. "I assimilated cats to my cause, one from each Clan. It seems you've already taken care of my ThunderClan spy."

I felt movement beside me and glanced down to see Sootstar getting slowly to his paws. He didn't glance once behind him at Dawnshine's body, lying abandoned in the bloodsoaked snow. He fixed Ashthorn with his piercing stare and for the first time I thought I saw a difference between the two toms. Ashthorn's head was lower, his eyes darker, his body curved as though trying to hide something. Sootstar raised his chin proudly, his eyes blazing with a newfound fire, his shoulders squared. Their fur and eyes were the same, but the similarities ended there. Sootstar was a leader. Ashthorn was a twisted dead guy.

"Rainstar," he meowed, his voice steady and strong. "Cinderstar. Are you ready?"

I didn't need mind-speak to know what he meant. My claws slid out of their sheaths. "Definitely," I growled.

Cinderstar nodded once. "Of course."

"Good." Sootstar stepped forward, to stand in front of and between us. "It's time. It's long past time."

"Agreed," I meowed.

Sootstar began walking forward, Cinderstar and I keeping pace at his shoulders. I fixed my unwavering stare on Ashthorn, my peripheral vision fading out. I couldn't help but let exhilaration flood my heart as I felt how _right_ this was; the three of us facing our father, united against his tyranny like we should be, like we should have been all along. He could never break us apart. Nothing could. We were littermates, and I would stand by my brother and sister forever.

As one, we broke into a bound, then as Sootstar tapped our shoulders with his tail, we attacked, each in our own way. I dived beneath his belly, knocking his legs out from underneath him as Cinderstar snaked around him, claws a blur in his starry fur, and Sootstar reared up to meet him mid-jump, grappling with his forelegs at Ashthorn's shoulders. I emerged from underneath him just in time to see fear enter Ashthorn's eyes—real fear. Finally.

"It's time for your reign to end, Father," Sootstar growled, pressing his nose against Ashthorn's as Cinderstar and I pinned his body to the ground. "Give up your power. It's time for _your kits_ to take over." He paused, exaggerating a thoughtful expression. "Actually… no, it's past time. It's _way_ past time. You should have let us rise when you died back in Greenleaf." His eyes grew hard.

Ashthorn, to his credit, didn't even try to defend himself. He merely stared at Sootstar, his face a mask of emotionlessness as his son's claws sunk into his throat, as his lifeblood spurted out, coating Sootstar's fur and dripping onto the snow at his paws. I held my breath as the stars from his fur slowly dimmed, their light fading into his fur as his eyes drifted shut. Sootstar let him fall onto the ground and he landed in the rose-red snow with a soft thump. His body disintegrated into a few wisps of smoke, fading into the icy breeze. A fitting death for his icy heart.

I stepped toward Sootstar, pressing my head into the hollow of his throat, just above his shoulder. Cinderstar joined us and I felt her breath brushing my muzzle as she rested her head on Sootstar's spine. For several long moments, I wasn't sure whether we were supporting each other or about to fall ourselves, whether we were about to leap into the air in joy or burst into tears. But we were there for each other, and that was the important part. It was the only important part.

The sounds of the still-raging battle filled our ears and I felt Sootstar turn his head toward their source. I opened my eyes to see a bloody clearing filled with the bodies of the injured and dying. It was jarring to see the battle still being fought after the one who started it had died.

Reluctantly, I sat up, pulling away from Sootstar and Cinderstar. "I guess we should… go try to break it up or something," I meowed softly.

"Yeah," Sootstar murmured. I saw him half-glance at the place where Dawnshine's body lay, but he stiffened and resolutely got to his paws, facing the battle. He took a deep breath, then repeated himself in a stronger voice. "Yeah. We're leaders." He glanced at the two of us. "It's up to us to end this bloodshed."

Cinderstar nodded, her eyes narrowing in determination. "Let's go, team." She grinned, and I couldn't help but mirror her. Despite the situation, I was exhilarated to be working in a team again.

* * *

Sootstar, naturally, led the charge. He darted up to the Highledge as Cinderstar and I began wading through the crowd, breaking up fights wherever we could.

I first came across an unfamiliar SkyClan cat grappling with Rustpelt. Yowling at the top of my lungs, I pulled the SkyClan cat off Rustpelt. "Stop fighting!" I called into his ear. "We need to stop fighting!"

The warrior pulled away. "What's your problem?" she hissed.

"I, as one of the five leaders of the Clans, command you to stop fighting."

"You're not my leader," she growled.

"Do you want to keep fighting?" I challenged her. "Imagine if you continued this battle only to find later that if you'd stopped now, someone you love could have survived."

I bit my lip as she considered me through her brown eyes. Finally, she spat, "Fine."

"Thank you," I gasped. Glancing at Rustpelt, I added, "Could you help me break up other fights?"

Rustpelt nodded energetically. "Sure thing."

"Thanks." I flashed a grateful smile, then turned to another brawl.

This one consisted of Aspensplash and Lionpaw tackling a RiverClan she-cat I didn't recognize. I reared onto my hind legs, pushing Aspensplash to one side and pulling Lionpaw off by his scruff. "Stop!" I shouted, my voice growing hoarse as the she-cat scrambled to her paws, growling. Coughing, I tried again. "Stop fighting!"

All three hesitated, claws still extended and eyes still gleaming with adrenaline. "Why?" the she-cat snarled, her voice husky. "What's the big idea?"

"We need to quit figh—" I started, but I was interrupted by a yowl from above.

"Stop!" Sootstar shouted. I glanced up and saw him standing on the Highledge, his fur outlined by a halo of white by the sunhigh sun. "Stop fighting! Do you want more bloodshed? Stop! Are you warriors or rogues? In the name of the Clans, in the name of peace, stop!"

His words appeared to break apart the majority of the skirmishes. Many beaten-up, bloodied cats turned their faces up, eyes revealing a mixture of emotions: confusion, curiosity, and wariness chief among them. Sootstar repeated his message, calling it into the hollow until most of the cats stood still, though some still paced angrily, their fur ruffled and their eyes flashing with a hunger for battle.

Sootstar gazed down at the representatives from all five Clans for a heartbeat, his fur drenched in scarlet from his chest to his paws, his dark eyes reflecting the sun's light. "I…" His voice rasped and he coughed. "I, er, know I haven't given you much reason to trust me." He paused for a moment and an uncomfortable silence followed. I stared up at him, silently begging him to just keep talking. I wondered if my speeches were this bad, and I figured I wouldn't be surprised if they were.

After taking a deep breath, Sootstar continued. "Nonetheless, I ask you to please listen to me for just a moment." He stared around at the Clans for just enough time to get their attention again, then said, "I was wrong to accuse you of spying on ThunderClan. It was my mistake, completely and utterly my fault, and I now ask for your forgiveness. I have no good excuses, I'm afraid, only that I was carried away by my anger at Ashthorn, my father."

A yowl echoed up from the clearing. I twisted around, trying to get a good view of the speaker, but the crowd was too thick. I listened hard and thought I recognized a certain condescending voice. Turning to Cinderstar, I took the glower on her face as confirmation. It was Badgertongue.

"What about the _scents_ , then?" she challenged. "They were spread across the _entire territories_ over the course of a _few nights_ , I believe. What's up with _that?"_

"Exactly," Sootstar meowed. "They were spread across _all_ the territories. Not just ThunderClan's, not just RiverClan's, but _all_ of them. I do not believe that qualifies as spying on any particular Clan." His eyes flashed and his tail twitched as he continued. "This was the work of a certain deceased cat by the name of Ashthorn."

Badgertongue snorted. "You _just said_ you hated Ashthorn, and now you expect us to _believe_ this _accusation?_ "

"Yes," Sootstar said. He scanned the crowd and his eyes landed upon mine. He beckoned with his tail, then found Cinderstar and repeated the gesture. "And if you are determined not to believe me, which I entirely understand, I am happy to say I have witnesses."

I bounded up the Rockfall to stand on the Highledge. At first, I hung back from the edge; it looked rather far to fall, much higher than the Tallboulder back at WindClan's camp. But Sootstar was probably more scared of heights than me, judging from his lack of skill in tree-climbing, so if he could stand there without turning a tuft of fur, I figured it shouldn't be that bad. So, stepping forward, I gazed down at the assembled cats. There were really a _lot_ of cats. I couldn't count the number of eyes staring at me. My fur began to overheat.

"Rainstar of WindClan and Cinderstar of ShadowClan also saw his betrayal. Cinderstar even asked him specifically to make sure he was telling the truth." Sootstar nodded to Cinderstar and she stepped forward, into the reflected light of millions of eyes down in the clearing. My stomach turned over when I thought about how _I'd_ probably have to do that at some point in the near future.

"Ashthorn betrayed us," Cinderstar meowed in a calm, level voice. "But it wasn't just him. He had help." She stared dog-tooth claws down at the assembled cats. "Five cats helped him, one from each Clan. He named one: Dawnshine of ThunderClan." She hesitated a heartbeat, but didn't turn to look at Sootstar. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him swallow but he gave no other sign of having heard her name.

"He did not give any others away, but—"

"But I think I have a guess or four as to who the others are," I broke in. Suddenly every eye was on me. I shriveled up inside, asking myself endlessly _why_ I had to start talking _then_ , out of any time I could have spoken up. But the words were out and I might as well continue. It's what a leader would do, after all.

"Adderclaw," I said, figuring I'd start with the most obvious candidate. From down below, the lilac tabby's eyes roved lazily upward to settle on me. He didn't look surprised. "My deputy. I gave you a chance to prove your character even after you bullied me as a kit. You wasted it." I took a deep breath. "This morning you attacked me. I believe that goes against the warrior code in itself, apart from your betrayal with Ashthorn." I stared down at him, trying to make my eyes as cold and unfeeling as Cinderstar's and Sootstar's. "Do you deny it?"

Adderclaw shrugged. "Well, I figured after I attacked you—" several cats gasped at his blatant admittance "—I wouldn't have much of a chance covering it up. Nope, I'm not gonna deny it." He turned toward me, his gaze suddenly fiery. "But mark my words, I am not saying I had any accomplices. I—"

"Ashthorn said he had five cats working for him," I said dismissively. "I already know there are five. Though, I suppose, now that you've confessed and D… Dawnshine was revealed, there are only three unknowns left."

I scanned the crowd, trying to recall my observations from earlier. _Who wasn't fighting whom?_

"Badgertongue," I announced. "I saw you nod at that SkyClan warrior." I scoured the upturned faces before locating the cat I'd seen earlier. "You. The one with the pale brown fur."

"Nettlesplash? What's Nettlesplash got to do with this?" Rockstar had stood up, glaring not at his warrior but at me.

I continued as though I hadn't heard Rockstar's words, though I flicked my ears in his direction to show him he wasn't being ignored completely. "You nodded back at her, didn't you… Nettlesplash?"

The warrior ducked his head, staring at his paws, his shoulders hunched. He appeared to be trying to make himself as small as possible. I felt my heart go out to him; I'd done that myself many times to avoid attention or punishment or something along those lines.

"Nettlesplash, tell Rainstar you had nothing to do with this _grand scheme_ ," Rockstar ordered, the fur along his spine bristling indignantly. "Tell him he saw wrong."

Nettlesplash didn't do anything other than perhaps hanging his head a little lower. I fought the urge to take back my accusation, reminding myself again that he had been part of plotting a war that had taken one of my brother's lives. I couldn't let a criminal like that escape justice.

"Nettlesplash?" Now Rockstar sounded confused and a little uncertain. "Were you involved in this, this _rogue group?_ "

"I…" Nettlesplash looked terrified. His eyes seemed to be shrinking back into his skull and if his ears went much flatter they'd merge into his fur and never be seen again. "I… I d-didn't do an-nything wrong."

"Yes or no, Nettlesplash, please," I meowed, trying to make my voice echo around the hollow. It didn't exactly work the way I wanted it to. "That's all I need. A definite yes or no."

"I…"

Nettlesplash pressed his lips together. He had sunk into a crouch now, and even from my perch a tree-length above him I could see him trembling.

"Nettlesplash?" A she-cat padded forward, and I recognized her as the warrior I'd pulled off of Rustpelt earlier. "Say no. You didn't do anything, right?"

Still, the tom refused to speak. The gray she-cat's eyebrows furrowed and I saw a note of panic in her eyes. "Nettlesplash?" she prodded with increasing volume.

"Of course he didn't!" Badgertongue broke in, lashing her tail. "Neither of us did! Rainstar's just making it up."

"I am _not!_ " I protested, narrowing my eyes. "Prove you weren't involved!"

"Prove I was," Badgertongue fired back.

"Fine."

I blinked, glancing toward Nettlesplash. Finally, he'd spoken up, though with the pressure off of him he might have found the strength to lie. His shoulders straightened and his chin lifted to fix me with a hard stare. I braced myself for his denial. "I did it. Yes, I was involved. And so were Badgertongue and Vixentail."

"N—Nettle… _What?_ " The she-cat's voice cracked.

"I'm not going to hide behind lies anymore. I did that with the kittypet food, remember? I'm not that cat anymore. I'm over that. I… I was one of Ashthorn's recruits."

Badgertongue's expression had closed up the instant Nettlesplash had given her away. She stared at him with a cool glare as if she were considering whether it would be worth it to pounce on him like a piece of prey. Vixentail had shrunk into a crouch, paws tucked so far under her chest I was sure they were flat against the ground underneath her belly. Beside her, her sister Iceheart stared at her, aghast.

"But… _why?"_ Plumwillow bit her lip, kneading the ground as though she didn't quite know what to do with her paws.

"I guess I never really felt I belonged in the Clans," Nettlesplash shrugged, his eyes fixed on the ground. "I thought I wanted to be a kittypet but it was just too easy, too boring. Maybe I should try being a loner. Also—" Nettlesplash's eyes flashed in the direction of a tom with a fluffy tail almost identical to his own, "—I was sick of being overshadowed by _Rabbitleap._ After his whole _escapade_ with Leafstar he kept thinking he was better than the rest of us. Didn't you notice?" His voice turned bitter. "I don't want to keep living in his shadow. I want to be equal with everyone I meet."

"But did you have to betray your Clan? Betray your littermates?"

Nettlesplash half shrugged awkwardly, not saying anything. He and Vixentail began to look a little guilty, nervousness seeping into their expressions from their chins to the tips of their ears. Nettlesplash wrapped his tail tightly around his paws.

Cinderstar nodded to me. "It seems to me as though we have all the evidence we need. Adderclaw, Nettlesplash, Badgertongue, and Vixentail, please step forward."

Nettlesplash, after hesitating a moment, padded forward to sit beside Adderclaw at the front of the crowd. Badgertongue, after shooting a glare at all the cats she could lay eyes on, followed. After much hissing and prodding by those around her, Vixentail joined them.

"Betrayers of the Clans," Cinderstar continued. "Violators of the warrior code. Do you have anything to say in your defense?"

Silence fell for a couple heartbeats. I heard Cinderstar inhale, preparing to move on, but I touched her side with my tail. Below, I saw Vixentail fumbling for words.

"I—I—I d-don't… I d-didn't… I didn't mean to… to hurt anyone. Ashthorn threatened…" She trailed off, looking uncomfortable, ducking her head in embarrassment and shame.

"You still went along with him," Sootstar broke in. "Do you agree that you should have stood up to him and defended your home? Clan above all, that is the warrior code."

Vixentail nodded miserably.

"Do you have anything else to say in your defense?" I asked quickly. After a tense pause in which not one cat moved a muscle, I glanced sideways at Cinderstar, nodding at her to continue.

"Very well. In lieu of the present circumstances, justified by how you, knowing full well it was against the code, jeopardized your Clanmates and the Clans as a whole, I now declare the four of you banished from the Clans. If you are not gone from the territories of all five Clans by moonhigh tonight, our warriors have permission to attack. Agreed?"

"Agreed," Sootstar growled.

"Agreed," I echoed.

After a pause, Mossystar lifted her head from where she sat near the base of the rocks. "Agreed," she meowed, crouching to leap up the rocky slope and join us on the Highledge. I shuffled over to make room for her.

"Yes… agreed." Rockstar glanced up and, spotting the four other leaders standing on the Highledge, hastened to join us. Together we stared down at the four traitors, watching as, one by one, they stood and headed through the parting crowd toward the entrance.

My eyes paused on Iceheart. She looked nervous, twitching her tail and flicking her ears distractedly as she clenched her teeth and pressed a paw hard against the ground. Finally, after several heartbeats of struggling, she burst out, "Vixentail, wait!"

The orange tabby glanced around as her sister dashed over to meet her beside the entrance. "Iceheart?" she asked, visibly confused. "What—?"

"I'm coming with you," Iceheart said. "We're sisters; we stick together. I don't care if you're a coward, you're still my little sister." She shot a glare up at the five of us, then with a flick of her tail vanished through the thorn barrier. Vixentail scurried after her like a baby mouse.

None of the traitors remained. I glanced around at the other leaders, unsure about what to do next. Were we meant to give some grand speech proclaiming our victory? Except it didn't feel like a victory. It felt like a loss. This battle was fought against ourselves.

Sootstar cleared his throat, silencing the few murmurs that had broken out in the clearing below. "I, um, suppose we should organize ourselves. All those fit enough to run need to be sent to the other camps for medicine cats and herbs. The most wounded, line up over by Goldenwing. She can start treating you now."

The crowd gradually began separating, small arguments breaking out as Clanmates insisted they weren't as injured as that other cat over there. I suppressed a smile; it was about one of the worst times to do so, but the sight of selflessness always made me smile. Slowly, though, a line formed outside the medicine den and Goldenwing hurried out to begin treating them, carrying a mouthful of dried herbs and looking frantic. Spitting them out onto the ground, she called up to us, "I need assistants! And get the messengers to bring back as many herbs as possible; these are the only ones I have left!"

"I can organize the messengers," Rockstar meowed at once. He disappeared down the Rockfall, diving into the crowd and surfacing on a rock placed near the center of the clearing, calling out for relatively uninjured warriors to come to him.

"We should start, um…" I flicked my tail nervously. "You know… bringing our fallen comrades together to mourn."

"Yes," Mossystar murmured, grimacing for a moment. "I… I agree." She glanced up at the three of us. "We should probably work in pairs for this. Sootstar," she nodded to him, "would you work with me?"

I again had to suppress a smile. Despite the dour atmosphere, I recognized Mossystar's subtext. She was making an effort to accept Sootstar again as a fellow leader, as an equal.

He dipped his head in return. "It would be an honor, Mossystar." He gestured with his tail, indicating that she should descend the Rockfall first. She nodded her thanks and led the way down into the hollow.

"Coming?" Cinderstar asked, brushing past me as she hurried down behind the pair, almost treading on Sootstar's tail as it whisked over the rocks.

"Quit being so hasty," I muttered teasingly, following her down from the Highledge.

At the base of the Rockfall, our two pairs split up, Mossystar and Sootstar heading toward the entrance and Cinderstar and I padding toward the fresh-kill pile, or at least what was left of it. So many paws had trod on the prey it was now unrecognizable. "We'll need to send out a hunting patrol," Cinderstar murmured, glancing over the pile. "Injured warriors need food to heal."

"It'll take a long time for us to heal," I replied. I'd come across the first body, partially hidden behind the squashed carcasses of fresh-kill. It was Oakpaw.

Memories flashed across my vision, of Oakpaw sitting with his brother and sister back in the Peace Forest, of Oakpaw and Rowanpaw laughing with me on the journey back, of Oakpaw's utter joy when he got Crouchfoot as a mentor… What was I going to tell his littermates?

Cinderstar moved closer to me. "He was one of yours, wasn't he?"

I nodded, closing my eyes. "I… I can't believe it. Not Oakpaw. He had so much potential."

"That's war for you," Cinderstar muttered. She tapped me lightly on the heels. "Stay focused, okay? We've got to get this done. His family needs the chance to mourn him properly in the center of the clearing, not hidden back here. Come on."

I nodded again, trying to focus. She was right, I couldn't break down over the first body. I had to stay strong until we were finished. Keeping my eyes shut, I let Cinderstar lead me toward his motionless form, stepping carefully so as not to tread on his little white tail-tip. I bent down, the reek of death overpowering my senses as I gently picked him up by the loose skin near his haunches. Cinderstar helped by taking his scruff, for even though he was only an apprentice he was heavy, and together we dragged him into the center, laying him beside Rockstar's perch. Then we headed back to the pile to search for more.

The next form we came across was, I believed, a ThunderClan warrior. Maybe Streamfrost? I couldn't quite remember everyone's names. But though I didn't know her, I still felt a pang of emptiness in my chest. She could have lived a long life, had kits, become an elder. I didn't even know her but her death was like a claw to my belly, draining me slowly of my energy until I thought I might lie down with the fallen and join StarClan too.

I was so distracted I didn't realize who the next cat was until I felt Cinderstar gasp beside me, her ribcage banging against mine, the sharp angles of bones jutting through her fur. Blinking myself out of my reverie, I spotted a russet tabby tom lying curled around a belly wound, his body drenched in drying blood.

"Oh Cinderstar…" Not her, too. First me, then Sootstar… now it seemed like it was Cinderstar's turn.

"Foxtooth," she whispered, drifting forward. She placed her paw on his back, right near his shoulder, but didn't shake him. He must have been cold because, almost unconsciously, she lay down next to him, getting her own fur wet again with blood.

I bounded to her side and rested my chin on top of her head. For a moment, I recalled the first battle, saw Silverdapple again dodge in front of me and take the claws meant to end my life, saw again her blood pour out onto the dusty ground. How could this have happened to all three of us? How could each of us lose a love?

"I…" Cinderstar staggered to her feet, throwing me off. "No." She shook her head. "We need to keep going. Help me with him."

I stared at her, not comprehending her words for a moment. Not until she repeated her last sentence, almost pleading this time, did I move. I grasped him along his spine and helped her maneuver him into the center of the hollow.

Sootstar and Mossystar were dragging another lifeless form in just as we arrived. Sootstar glanced over and his eyes went wide when he saw Foxtooth. "Oh… oh no…" He pressed his muzzle against Cinderstar's neck, burying his face in her fur, but she pulled away angrily.

"No. I'm fine. We need to keep working. Get going." She nudged him hard with her foot, almost hard enough to qualify as a proper kick.

Sootstar blinked, stunned as he recoiled. "Cinderstar—"

"I'm _fine!"_ She coughed, realizing her voice gave away her impending tears. Shaking her head stubbornly, she stalked off across the clearing, her legs stiff with stifled grief. I almost started crying _for_ her, but I blinked them away before they could freeze into crystals on my fur and jerked my head at my brother. _Let her be. Maybe this is just her way of coping._

Sootstar clenched his teeth, grimacing in helplessness. "I know," I whispered, wrapping my tail around his shoulders, "but Mossystar's waiting for you. Cinderstar's waiting for me. We can comfort her later. Okay?"

He nodded. I leaned against him for a heartbeat more, squeezing his shoulders, then broke away and bounded after Cinderstar as a breeze whistled through the hollow. I realized I didn't have to worry about a stray tear falling; it was so cold it would just look like my eyes were watering from the wind chill.

* * *

The sun was setting over the lake as I padded slowly down towards it, my paws numb with cold and an overdose of shock. I'd taken half a leaf of thyme to prevent the latter, but it didn't seem to be working so well. Or maybe it was working fine and my paws were just cold.

The sky blazed pink and orange. I almost hated to see the beautiful colors; it was as though they were mocking the bloodshed that had occurred today. _Why do you hate us, StarClan?_ But that was irrational, of course. StarClan had no control over the sunset.

I found Cinderstar and Sootstar sitting on the pebbly beach, right where I'd expected them to be. They weren't talking, rather just staring across the lake with narrowed eyes, their fur plastered to their faces by the wind. I padded up beside them, feeling the stones slide beneath my paws, and settled myself beside Cinderstar, resting my head on her shoulder.

She moved at my touch, shifting her weight onto me. Sootstar took a couple steps forward and rested his cheek on Cinderstar's and his muzzle on my forehead. I nestled into his warmth—in this position, he was blocking the wind from hitting me.

"Hey," I whispered.

"Mmm," Sootstar mumbled.

Cinderstar said nothing.

"It's pretty cold out here. Are you okay with coming back to the hollow?"

Cinderstar almost snorted. "It's not that cold, _mother_."

Sootstar laughed, or maybe it was a sob, or possibly a shiver.

"Mossystar's about ready to head out. She wants to bring news back to the few cats she left behind."

"Does she want to talk with us?"

"Yeah." I tilted my head to look up into the eyes of my littermates. "You ready or do you need a little more time?"

Cinderstar took a shaky breath of air, her muzzle pointed straight into the wind. I winced in sympathy, imagining how painfully cold that must have felt. She rubbed her nose into my fur to warm it up, then replied, "Y… Yeah. I think I'm good." She took another breath, this one steadier. "Yeah." She looked at Sootstar. "You good?"

Sootstar nodded. He pulled away and shivered as the wind cut beneath his fur, blowing it the wrong way. "I'm good." He took a deep breath and shook out his body, flicking his ears a couple times before heading back up the slope. It took him a couple tries to be able to walk in a straight line, but eventually he made it to the trees. "C-Coming, slowpokes?"

"Last one to camp's a rotten sparrow," I whispered as Cinderstar and I followed. Cinderstar almost laughed. Almost, but not quite.

* * *

Mossystar waited by the entrance to the hollow, her healthy warriors behind her. She had agreed to leave the three most injured behind along with their two dead. They'd return for them the next day.

"I thank you for your hospitality concerning my injured warriors," she meowed as Cinderstar, Sootstar, and I entered the camp, Sootstar last as he hadn't heard my whisper. "I hope our Clans can improve our relationship in the future."

"I also," Sootstar said, dipping his head respectfully. "Again, I apologize for letting this battle occur."

Mossystar shrugged it off. "I believe we can agree it was more Ashthorn's fault than yours." She glanced behind her at her warriors. "I will be back tomorrow. Until then, may StarClan light your path."

"May fish leap out of your rivers and into your mouths," Sootstar replied. "Or… something like that?"

Mossystar smiled. "Not quite, but I suppose it's close enough." She stood, flicking her tail at her warriors. With one last nod at the three of us, she led the way out of the hollow.

"I believe SkyClan is also ready to head out," Rockstar meowed, approaching from behind us, his patrol around him. "Frecklewish has agreed to remain here to help Goldenwing care for your wounded."

Sootstar dipped his head. "I thank you for your generosity," he said gravely. "I only wish it wasn't necessary."

"Don't we all," Rockstar mused. He glanced briefly around the camp, taking in the bloodstained snow, the bodies in the center of the clearing, and the makeshift dens constructed for the injured. "I believe there is some hope, though."

"And what would that be?" Sootstar asked curiously.

Rockstar half smiled as he replied, "We can only go up from here."

As the SkyClan cats bounded after their leader out of the camp, I turned to Sootstar. "I guess it would be improper for Cinderstar and me to stay overnight. We should probably head back to our camps."

Our eyes met and for a moment, our thoughts seemed to be one and the same. For one afternoon we'd almost forgotten we led different Clans. Now it was time to separate again, but this departure didn't feel the same as our first. That one had been full of tears and desperate last, loving goodbyes. This felt more… unemotional, more normal. We weren't littermates, but at the same time we were; connected in blood and yet separated by Clan. _Clan over blood._

"I'll be back in the morning to… you know," Cinderstar meowed. "But Dewcloud will wonder what became of us. She'll worry. I need to let her know we're all… or at least most of us are okay."

I nodded. "Lightwing will be desperate to hear from me. I'm not looking forward to telling her about Ashthorn though."

Sootstar grimaced. "She has Hyperion. She'll be fine."

"We'll all be fine," Cinderstar insisted. "We… we just need time, I think."

"Newleaf will come," I said, and finally allowed my smile to break through. "The prey will return. The Clans will rise again."

"And we will lead our Clans well," Sootstar meowed. He looked from Cinderstar to me, then back again. "Separate, yet together. Allies but different Clans."

"Yeah." I whispered.

I pressed my nose into Sootstar's cheek and Cinderstar nuzzled my neck, giving Sootstar a swift lick over the ear. Then, with one last, terse smile, she left to gather her Clanmates. I turned and headed toward where WindClan had gathered.

"Ready to go?" I asked.

Alderleaf, his fur standing on end and dusted with dried herbs, glanced around at the Clan, and when no one else spoke up he meowed, "Yes, I believe we are."

I looked over my Clanmates. Tansyfoot was washing Lionpaw, one forepaw wrapped around Hoppaw. Both apprentices looked shell-shocked and kept glancing over into the center of the clearing, where their father, Whistlefur, lay, his fur covered with lavender. Forestwind lay next to his two remaining kits, Honeypaw and Rowanpaw, both of whom were sniffling quietly. I imagined their loss was probably worst, as they'd lost both Oakpaw and Blossomstep. Crouchfoot sat nearby, connected to them through the loss of his apprentice. Hyperion crouched near the front, seemingly desperate to return home to Lightwing. Alderleaf and Aspensplash pressed against each other, staring out across the clearing. These cats, this entire Clan, was my family, no matter how small we'd become.

"Come on, then," I meowed, smiling and raising my tail proudly into the air. "WindClan… let's go home."

* * *

 **Whew, that was a long chapter! I'm really proud of it, though. :)**

 **And that's the end of the actual story! I AM planning on adding an epilogue after to show normal Clan life again and to wrap up a few unanswered questions, mostly concerning what happens after, but the main plotline is finished! I can barely believe it...**

 **AOTD: I much prefer snow in the winter, rather than just pure cold. I moved a couple years ago and in the place I lived before, the temperature was constantly in the 40s from February through April, just too warm for snow but otherwise c-cold... It bugged me like you wouldn't imagine.**

 **QOTD: Any particular questions you have that you'd like to be answered in the epilogue?**


	21. Epilogue

**This took an amazingly long amount of time to write. I've been overwhelmed by school and work and everything, so sorry! But I hope this makes up for it.**

 **Leopardstar2002: I'm glad I was able to surprise you! :) And no, I didn't kill Foxtooth just to make you cry XD it was more that Foxtooth's and Cinderstar's relationship was beginning to fray and I really didn't want them to have to break up. I'm really sorry I wasn't able to fit in more about which cats died, though! Also, I wanted to thank you personally (or as personally as I can get over the internet) for supporting me all this time. You're always one of the first to review and you always light up my day with your words. Thank you so much! *hugs***

 **QLKwriter: I get how you feel. XD With me it was: "Just one last scene! Oh wait, this chapter is already 7k words long... But one more scene wouldn't hurt!" I had a tough time saying goodbye to these sweethearts. I don't believe I address this in the chapter, but Ashthorn was in StarClan the whole time, just being super sneaky and all. I wanted to thank you individually for always supporting me. I can hardly remember a time when you weren't reviewing, and you are always quick to point out any inconsistency of mine so I can quickly fix it for the next chapter. *hugs* You're the best!**

 **Shadows of Weeping Wolves: I can't believe it either! My children, they're all grown up! *sobs* Thank you so much! And hey, if you go back to my earlier stories (examples: The Lost Snow and Eagle Air) you'll see how far I've managed to come. XD It takes a buttload of writing to improve, namely writing a 200k+ word series. I checked and I'm _pretty_ sure everyone has the right names here, but who knows, you might catch something anyway! I really want to thank you for being such a huge motivation to me. Your belief in the Misty series helped it grow and let me keep writing. *hugs* I don't know how to thank you enough.**

 **Nightbird1648: Haha, laziness is a plight that affects us all. XD I want to thank you personally for always supporting me, whether on FFN or DA. You've always been there to motivate me when I want to give up and, without you, this story would likely have faded at some point or another. *hugs* Thank you for being you!**

 **ShadowHawk540-2: Thank you! ^^ I want to let you know that you've been one of my central supporters from the beginning, and without you it is likely this story would have crumbled. *hugs* Thank you so much for your support, and if you ever figure out how to get back onto your account and decide to post a story, I'll be there to support you in return.**

 **Willowdream of ForestClan: I'm sorry! *sobs* But I felt like Foxtooth needed to die because I felt his and Cinderstar's relationship fraying and I REALLY didn't want to write a scene where they break up. I might just about throw my laptop across the room, except not really because laptops are super expensive. XD I would probably squeal/scream/grin madly until my family asked what was wrong if you did fanart! If you're too busy, though, I completely understand... I still have several requests due on DA. ^^; I wanted to thank you (again and again) for helping me finish this story. As you wrote with your gift (which is utterly amazing, by the way), you've supported me since forever ago, when Leafy recommended Misty Horizon in one of her chapters. *hugs* You're an amazing person and I'm so thankful we're internet buddies!**

 **ilovewarriorcats: Since I couldn't find a place to put this in without it seeming forced (I tried, believe me, but it wasn't working), I'm afraid I wasn't able to include Vixentail in the epilogue. What I imagine happened to her and Iceheart was that they traveled far away until they found a nice Twoleg and, though they still lived like loners, they consented to eat the kittypet food and live together happily. ^^ All other questions, I hope, will be answered in the chapter. But before you read on, I really wanted to thank you for all you've contributed to this story. I feel really bad about constantly forgetting to put Bluemist in as an actual character. But I always look forward to your reviews. You provide really good questions and suggestions that honestly have made this story better and more complete than I could have done by myself. *hugs* Thank you so much!**

 **ThiefofSong: It's fine! Sorry I haven't updated recently, I've been busy with school and more school. ^^ I'm also sorry about Foxtooth, but I felt his relationship with Cinderstar to be fraying and I honestly would never want to have to write their breakup scene. At least they can still be together in StarClan. I wanted to thank you so much for supporting me through the end. While you may be too busy with school to review, I've been too busy with school to even update! *hugs* Thank you for sticking with this story, because if not for you, I might not have reached the end.**

 **RANDOM PERSON: No, it's fine! ^^ I want to thank you, though, for consistently reviewing my series and supporting me all the way through the end. Each review you write gives me motivation to keep writing the next chapter, and without that support I might not have made it all the way through this series. *hugs* Thank you so much!**

* * *

 **Sootstar's POV**

I woke to a paw hitting my nose.

" _Foxdung…_ What in the name of—?" I blinked my den into clarity and saw a certain pair of kits giggling together in delight.

"I got him!" Willowkit crowed, bouncing around her brother on her toes. Wolfkit playfully nosed her with enough force to send her tumbling onto the ground.

"What are you two doing?" I asked, glancing out the entrance. "What… _How did you get up the Rockfall?_ "

"We climbed it," Willowkit boasted as she got back to her paws. "Just like you do, Sootstar!"

"That's too dangerous for two-moon-old kits to be doing," I half growled, shaking moss from my fur and swiftly catching my daughter by the scruff as she scurried past.

"Hey!" she complained, kicking her legs hard, jerking my neck back and forth. "But… but…"

"Stay still," I muttered, my voice muffled by her fluffy fur. "We're going back down to the clearing. And we're going to _stay there_." I headed for the entrance, shrugging my shoulders and flicking my tail to get my blood moving. As I reached the top of the Rockfall, I gave Wolfkit a stern stare. "You stay right there. Don't even try moving a muscle until I get back."

Wolfkit's usually smiling expression froze in one of nervousness. His dark blue eyes followed me as I carried Willowkit down the pile, deposited her at the bottom, then headed back up for him. Once the three of us were safely at the bottom, I crouched in front of their shivering forms.

"What you did was really dangerous. You could've fallen and hurt yourselves, especially with these frost-covered rocks in Leafbare. I don't want to see either of you anywhere near the Rockfall for the next four moons. Got it?"

The kits exchanged a glance. Wolfkit nodded and Willowkit, after hesitating another heartbeat, followed suit.

"Good." I gave both of them a quick nuzzle on the top of the head. "I love you, I just don't want to see you hurt. Okay?"

"Uh huh." Willowkit was already distracted, staring across the clearing toward the nursery. "Hey Wolfkit, look! Shadekit and Sagekit are up!"

"Finally!" His eyes lit up with excitement. As Willowkit dashed off, he took a couple pawsteps after her, then hesitated and turned back to me. "Er, sorry," he muttered awkwardly. "We were bored and wanted to surprise you."

"You certainly succeeded in that," I said warmly. "Just next time you come up with a great idea, make sure you ask Amberwing's permission first. That way you won't get in trouble."

Wolfkit's expression brightened and he gave me a broad grin before dashing after his sister. Noticing Amberwing slipping out of the nursery behind the pale gray kits, I followed.

As I passed my kits, I heard Sagekit meow, "I _told_ you! I _told_ you you shouldn't have done it! What'd I say? I _said_ he'd be mad! Didn't I, Shadekit?"

"I hope he wasn't _that_ mad," Shadekit said nervously, glancing quickly at me as I passed. I gave him a smile but didn't pause to chat.

Amberwing was on her way to the fresh-kill pile when I intercepted her. She gave me a nod but didn't say anything. I wondered if she even knew Willowkit and Wolfkit had sneaked out. Perhaps not, perhaps she'd had her paws full with her own kits. Sunkit, Birchkit, and Maplekit were due for their apprentice ceremony any day now. Once I figured out their mentors I'd hold the ceremony. I sighed as I reflected _again_ on how Amberwing obviously wanted to look after her own kits first, then mine. If Dawnshine were still alive…

But no, I couldn't think about that. If Dawnshine had still been alive we wouldn't have had these two moons of peace. Remembering the hateful expression on her face as she ripped out one of my lives helped soothe my grief a little, but I couldn't help but wonder if, had she managed to get over her grief, we could've been a happy family.

It was one of the reasons I couldn't let myself think about her. I needed to be here for my kits. I had to be a good father, one who loved them equally and was there for them, one who taught them how to love properly. Unlike my own father.

I blinked and realized Amberwing was halfway across the clearing already, perusing the fresh-kill pile for something tasty for breakfast. I hurried to join her.

"Would you mind sharing fresh-kill with me?" I asked as she pulled a mouse from underneath a sparrow. "I have something I'd like to discuss with you."

Amberwing blinked and nodded, returning the mouse and grabbing the sparrow instead. We settled beside the still-vacant elders' den and I began plucking feathers from one of the wings.

"I know your kits are approaching their sixth moon," I began, looking down at the bird. "I was considering making them apprentices today."

"Oh!" Amberwing's eyes went wide. "That's wonderful! I'm sure they'll be ecstatic about this." She smiled at me.

"I was wondering if you had any specific requests as to their mentors," I asked, looking up at her. "I know usually a leader is meant to decide, but… well… if any of them showed any inclination at all toward being a medicine cat…"

"Actually," Amberwing meowed, "I do think one could be a medicine cat. Sunkit's been hanging around the medicine den for at least a moon now, and every night he tells me all the herbs he's learned that day. Sometimes he repeats a few, but kits will be kits." She paused a moment. "I'd feel better about him becoming a medicine cat if you confirmed it with Goldenwing, though."

I nodded. "I'll be sure to ask her about that, then." I hesitated, wondering how to phrase my second request. "Um, about _my_ kits…"

"You're wondering if I'll move back into the warriors' den after my kits become apprentices," Amberwing guessed. I nodded. "I was wondering that too. I mean, I'd love to return to my warrior duties, but your kits are only two moons old, much too young to be left alone in the nursery."

"I don't want you to have to give up performing w—" I began hastily but Amberwing cut across me.

"So I came up with an idea. Your kits are out of the nursery basically from the moment the sun rises until it sets, only returning inside to take naps around sunhigh. I could return to basic warrior duties during the day, with the exception of the sunhigh patrols, and continue sleeping in the nursery at nights until the kits have grown old enough to sleep in the nursery by themselves."

Amberwing shrugged. "It… well, it's an idea."

"It's a great idea!" I enthused. "Wow! How did you come up with it?"

She grimaced. "Many nights lying awake with seven kits. One of them would wake up from a bad dream or insist they were hungry and when they'd fall asleep the next would wake up, on and on all night. Trust me, being a queen is hard work."

"I believe you," I said, silently thanking StarClan I was not a she-cat.

"Well, I guess that might be it then." I pushed myself to my paws, swiping my tongue around my lips a couple of times to get the last traces of sparrow off my fur. "Do you mind if I use these feathers for my kits?"

Amberwing hesitated. "I… well, if my kits are becoming apprentices today, I was thinking I could use them to soften their nests." She bit her lip.

"Oh. Yeah. Yeah, that would be good. You can have them." I shoved the pale brown feathers toward her.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I've already filled my kits' nest with the softest moss I could find." I smiled earnestly. "Go on, you can have them. I'll plan for the ceremony to be around sunhigh today."

Amberwing grinned. "Thanks, Sootstar. The next bird I eat, I'll be sure to put every feather into your kits' nest."

As she padded away, I turned back toward my kits. Perhaps I'd have time to play tag or moss-ball with them before heading out on a hunting patrol. But as I started across the clearing, I almost ran into Goldenwing.

"Uh—hi, sorry," I stammered, moving hastily backward to avoid stepping on her paws.

"Sootstar," she said softly, glancing around to make sure we were out of our Clanmates' earshot. "StarClan sent me a message."

"What?" I asked, lowering my voice to match hers.

"I got a message from Tortoiseheart. He said that you should go to the Moonpool tonight."

My brow furrowed. "What? Is… is that all?"

Goldenwing grimaced. "Messages from StarClan are usually skimpy on details. I'd say you're probably going to get more info tonight."

"Oh, so now I'm going to _have_ to go," I muttered. "They just dropped a juicy squirrel knowing I'd have to pick it up."

Goldenwing nodded. "Yeah, I guess. I would recommend going tonight. The message must be important if you need to be at the Moonpool for it." She shrugged. "Anyway, I should get on with my duties. See you later." She began padding off across the clearing.

Suddenly remembering Sunkit and Amberwing's request, I called after her, "Wait a minute! I wanted to ask you something."

Goldenwing turned as I caught up to her. "What?"

"I… I was going to perform an apprentice ceremony at sunhigh for Amberwing's kits. I was wondering how you would feel about Sunkit becoming your apprentice?"

Goldenwing blinked, appearing to consider it for a moment. "Yeah, sure. He'd be a good apprentice." She smiled at me, then glanced across the clearing to where Sunkit and his littermates had exited the nursery. "I'd enjoy working with him."

After a moment of watching the pale ginger kit, she started walking again, heading toward the camp entrance. I watched her tail flick out of sight, then turned toward my kits and bounded across the frozen ground toward them.

"Sootstar!" Wolfkit cried in welcome.

"That's it! _He_ can be the badger!" Sagekit bounced over toward me on the tips of her toes, just like Willowkit had done earlier.

"What?"

"We're playing Badger," Sagekit explained, rolling her eyes toward Willowkit. "Only _some_ one doesn't want to take her turn at being Badger."

Willowkit huffed angrily. "Just because I don't want you to flatten the air out of my lungs doesn't mean I don't want to be Badger!"

Hoping to avoid an argument, I chipped in. "RrrrRAUWR!" I crouched, stumping my paws into a wider stance and letting one side of my mouth hang limply, exposing a row of sharp teeth. Narrowing my eyes, I shuffled forward, nosing Sagekit hard. "Badger… _angry!_ ThunderClan evil! Badger drive out nasty cats!"

Sagekit squealed with laughter as she tumbled backward. Before she'd regained her balance, a fuzzball shoved its way in front of my muzzle.

"Don't touch her!" Shadekit growled. "I, Shadeclaw, warrior of ThunderClan, will protect my Clan!"

I let a strand of drool hang from my lips. "Badger… Badger ANGRY!" I heaved a slow, badly aimed blow at Shadekit and he dodged easily with a short laugh of exhilaration. Just as I advanced on him, I felt a set of claws digging into the fur between my shoulders. I swung my head back and forth, trying to see who had attacked me, only to feel Wolfkit leap on me from the front, hanging onto my ears.

Roaring again, I shook Wolfkit off and stamped around, shaking my body, though not hard enough to properly dislodge her. She might go flying and get hurt.

Squealing, Willowkit hung on, crouching to merge her body weight more with mine. She was quickly joined by her sister, who clawed her way up to the back of my neck. "Try to shake me off, Sootstar!" she challenged me.

"RrrRAUWR!" I growled again, rearing up into the air. My daughters shrieked in glee and burrowed farther into my fur. As I landed back on all fours, Wolfkit and Shadekit scrambled up too.

"Badger ride!" Wolfkit shouted.

"Badger ride? You sure?" I asked, returning to my normal voice temporarily.

"Yeah!" Shadekit meowed, hunkering down behind Willowkit, who nodded eagerly.

"Badger ride!" Sagekit crowed triumphantly, keeping her position at my neck.

"All right, if you're sure!" I growled again and lunged suddenly forward, lurching around the camp with my kits laughing on my back. I almost laughed myself, but managed to keep in character, staggering around the clearing. I loved spending time with my kits. It felt almost like traveling back in time to play with Cinderkit and Rainkit.

"RrrRAUWR!"

* * *

 **Cinderstar's POV**

The sun had barely crested the tops of the pine trees when I burst back into the camp, my flanks heaving, the dawn patrol spilling in behind me. I grinned over my shoulder at them. "Good job keeping up," I congratulated Brightpaw, the newest apprentice.

She smiled back at me, but didn't reply as she followed her mentor, Frozenwhisker, into the center of camp.

"I do believe I almost beat you this time," Mistheart meowed as she approached from behind me, grinning as she slowly recovered her breath.

"Oh please," I scoffed good-naturedly. "You barely beat Brightpaw!"

Mistheart laughed as we made our way over to the fresh-kill pile. I glanced over its contents quickly: a couple birds, three mice, and a rather old-looking frog I remembered seeing last night. Inwardly shrugging, reflecting that it was only going to get older, I scooped up the frog and made my way over to my favorite eating place beside the old tree stump. Mistheart joined me with a mouse.

After both of us had taken a few bites, Mistheart looked at me appraisingly, chewing thoughtfully on one of her mouse's legs. "You know, our Clan's pretty small. Much smaller than the other Clans."

I swallowed. "We're getting larger," I pointed out. "Morningear just had her kits, in case you'd forgotten." I nudged Mistheart teasingly. "You know, in case you'd forgotten your daughter had kits."

Mistheart didn't smile. "Morningear is so young. I'm a little worried she's having kits this early."

"She had time to get to know Tanglefur. She seems like she's happy with him, and so far she seems to be a good mother."

"I guess." Mistheart took another bite of mouse. "It's normal to be worried, though, isn't it?" she asked, her voice suddenly intense and a little nervous.

"Definitely."

"Although I guess I shouldn't ask you," Mistheart said wryly, "oh ye who never had kits."

I shrugged and took a bite of my frog. It honestly didn't taste that old.

"I really thought you had something going with Foxtooth for a while there." Mistheart paused for a moment, as though reconsidering her words. "Oh, um, I'm sorry. I guess that was a little insensitive."

"It's fine. Honest," I said. "We… I dunno. I guess we never really clicked. Foxtooth wanted to become mates, I could tell. Like, you know, _actual_ mates, not just in theory. But then there was the battle and…" I shrugged. "I've never really wanted kits anyway."

"I…" Mistheart paused, giving me a sidelong, unreadable glance.

"What?"

Mistheart was quiet for a moment. "I thought you might be grieving for longer, I guess."

I slowed my chewing, then stopped. Still holding my bite of frog in my mouth, I considered Mistheart. We'd grown closer in the moons since the battle, but I still wasn't quite sure she understood me. But then again, I didn't quite understand it myself. _Why_ wasn't _I still grieving?_

Well, that was a lie. I _was_ still grieving. Every time I thought of Foxtooth I was reminded of our journey to find RiverClan together. I'd hear his name in a conversation and remember the way he laughed with his mouth wide open, his tongue pooling behind a row of off-white teeth. I'd pass his grave while hunting and remember how he quietly accepted my pride, then started teasing me about it. Whenever I tasted the nutty flavor of a squirrel I was reminded of how it used to be his favorite fresh-kill.

For the first moon or so I teared up whenever I allowed myself to think of his death. But after that the tears just stopped coming. A couple times I'd tried to force them when I visited Foxtooth's grave, feeling like it would dishonor his memory if I didn't cry there, but after a couple times I realized he wouldn't have wanted me to fake-cry, even for him, and I stopped trying.

I swallowed my mouthful of frog. "I am. I just don't like to show it I guess."

Mistheart bit her lip. "But you can talk about him so easily. I just… I don't know. It seems a little odd to me I guess."

"Foxtooth wouldn't have wanted me to avoid talking about him just to save face," I said. "I'm still grieving, honest. I just… maybe we don't do it in the same way."

Mistheart glanced back down toward what was left of her mouse. "Yeah. I guess we don't."

We ate the rest of our meal in silence. I finished first and, after burying the tougher skin, I padded across the clearing toward where Sparrowtalon sat with Stormtuft.

The medicine cat had grown visibly older since the battle. I noticed a couple new gray hairs on his muzzle as I nodded to him before turning to Sparrowtalon. "I'm free to go on a hunting patrol this afternoon if you need extra warriors."

Sparrowtalon blinked gratefully at me. "Thank you," he meowed. "Yes, I think you'll definitely be needed." He sighed for a moment, gazing across the clearing. "We're getting short on warriors."

"That's what Mistheart said," I muttered, following his gaze. Beside the apprentices' den, Brightpaw was practicing her hunting crouch.

"Only one apprentice," Sparrowtalon remarked. "And several aging warriors."

"You're not aging," I insisted. "You don't have a single gray hair yet!"

"I meant Frozenwhisker and Dewcloud, but yes, I suppose Mistheart and I are also getting on in years."

"Morningear's kits will soon be apprentices," I pointed out.

"If almost six moons is soon, I'll agree with you."

I sighed, plopping myself down beside the toms. "Well, what do you expect me to do? Insist we all go on a mass breeding spree?"

Sparrowtalon barely contained his snort. "Um, no, I wasn't going to insist that. Morningear might get a little annoyed if the nursery gets too crowded."

"Yeah," I smiled, glancing over at the nursery.

"I believe the two of you casually failed to mention my name in this conversation of aging warriors," Stormtuft meowed, raising his eyebrows.

"You're not a warrior, though," Sparrowtalon pointed out.

"Neither are you."

Sparrowtalon rolled his eyes. "I'm basically a warrior. I'm just given a couple extra responsibilities."

"Which makes you more important to the Clan's survival than a mere warrior. Without a deputy the Clan would dissolve into bickering every time a new leader would have to be chosen." He turned back to face me. " _Any_ way, I meant to talk to you this morning, Cinderstar, but by the time I woke up you'd already left on the dawn patrol. I received a message for you from StarClan."

"Why couldn't they have just sent the message to me?" I asked, furrowing my brow. "Seems like there'd be less chance of a misheard word if it was just sent directly to me."

Stormtuft rolled his eyes and lifted his shoulders in a shrug. "I have no idea. Maybe to get back into the rhythm of sending special messages primarily to medicine cats. We haven't had a prophecy in a long time, so StarClan hasn't gotten much of a chance to send us medicine cats messages. But you're supposed to go to the Moonpool tonight for some sort of ceremony, I believe."

"A ceremony?"

"That's what I said."

"Oh, sorry, I was just, you know," I raised my eyebrows, " _making sure I didn't mishear_ or anything."

Stormtuft prodded me with a paw. "Oh hush, you."

I laughed but didn't poke him back. Leaders weren't supposed to poke their medicine cats. I was sure it was in the warrior code somewhere. _All leaders must refrain from poking their medicine cats, however difficult this may be._

Sparrowtalon got to his paws and let out a long yawn. "Mmm." He stretched luxuriously, then started across the clearing. "I'm going to go figure out patrols. Cinderstar, you're coming with me and Twigfur on a hunting patrol after sunhigh."

"Awesome." I nodded at him as he left, then turned back to Stormtuft, only to see him on his paws as well. "Oh no, are you leaving too? We were having such a good conversation!"

Stormtuft snorted. "I need to check on Morningear and her kits. If you want to keep talking you can come with."

"Oh, sure!" I fell into step beside him. "I haven't seen the kits yet, you know."

"You haven't?" Stormtuft looked surprised. "But they were born two sunrises ago. You haven't poked your nose in once?"

"I've been on patrols and such. I _am_ Clan leader, after all."

Stormtuft sighed sarcastically. "Oh, sure, no need to rub it into all our faces."

"Hey, you _chose_ to become a medicine cat!"

Stormtuft flashed a grin before lifting a paw to his mouth and whispering, "Shh… they might be sleeping."

"Oh, right." I lowered my voice and paused to let Stormtuft push his head through the entrance first.

He pulled it out after a heartbeat and meowed, "All good. They're awake," then continued inside. I quickly followed suit.

The nursery was a little cramped, but smelled lovely, like pine needles and warm milk. I breathed in the aroma for a moment, eyes shut, before blinking to adjust my eyes to the dim light and glancing around.

Morningear lay curled around her three kits in the next farthest from the entrance, likely to prevent drafts. She purred when she caught sight of me. "Hullo Cinderstar," she meowed softly. "I wondered when you'd come see me."

"Am I the last one?" I asked, picking my way past the two unoccupied nests, my paws brushing their scratchy, stale moss. The moment I noticed another pregnancy I'd have Brightpaw fix up a new one.

"I'm afraid so. Been busy?"

"Very." I crouched by the side of her nest and sniffed tentatively at the kits. "What are their names?"

"The brown tabby tom is Ratkit," Morningear meowed, rasping her tongue over the one closest to her muzzle. "The pale gray tom is Hopekit, and the she-kit is Streamkit."

"A RiverClan-esque name, I see." I smiled down at Streamkit.

"We thought it was only fitting, seeing as she's the only one to have inherited Tanglefur's long fur."

"They're adorable," I purred. "You must be so proud."

"Oh, I am!" Morningear glanced up at Stormtuft, who had just sat up after examining the kits. "They're all healthy?"

"Healthy and growing well," Stormtuft reported. "They're all strong for their age. I must say…" He hesitated a moment, then continued. "I must say I was a little worried, you being so young and all. But they seem to be in perfect health."

" _Seem_ to be?" Morningear asked nervously.

"They _are_ in perfect health. My mistake," Stormtuft said quickly. "I didn't mean to worry you."

"It's fine. As long as they're healthy I'm not worried." She leaned over, smoothing down a tuft of fur on Hopekit's head.

I considered Morningear for a moment. "Why did you decide to have kits so early?" I asked as Stormtuft turned to make his way out of the den.

"Hmm?" Her yellow eyes blinked up at me through the half-light. "Oh… I don't know. It just felt right. And now I have three beautiful little kits." She smiled lovingly down at them.

"You don't mind not being a warrior for so long?" I pressured.

"Well, I didn't experience being a warrior for long enough to really enjoy it. Once my kits become apprentices, I'll be able to experience being a warrior for the first time. That way I don't have a chance to miss it."

I shrugged. "I guess that makes sense." I got to my paws, turning toward the entrance. "I'll see you later. Congratulations again on your kits."

"Thank you." Morningear returned my smile and I slipped back through the entrance. Narrowing my eyes against the bright light, I made my way toward Sparrowtalon. I should probably go out on another patrol or something.

* * *

 **Rainstar's POV**

"Are you sure you'll be fine?" I nervously circled Aspensplash's nest, brushing my tail over her nose, past her shoulders, down her spine, along her tail, over the sleeping forms of the two newborn kits at her belly, and back over her hose again.

Aspensplash poked her nose hard into my hind leg as I passed her head for the umpteenth time. " _Yes._ And quit circling me, you're making me nervous!"

"Sorry." I contained myself with difficulty to merely kneading the ground, my claws working anxiously at the ground. "But…"

"But what? This is _StarClan_ , Rainstar, you can't just ignore them!"

"I'd give up a hundred meetings with StarClan if you wanted," I said earnestly, brushing my muzzle against the tip of her ear.

She briefly closed her eyes at my touch, letting out a soft purr. "But I _don't_ want," she meowed softly. "You need to go figure out what StarClan wants you to know. And don't you dare come back until you know."

I rolled my eyes. "Like you'd be able to tell."

"Hey." Aspensplash gave me a hard stare. "Trust me. I'd know."

"Okay. If you're sure."

I glanced down at the two kits, lying curled on top of each other in the soft moss. Elmkit sprawled on his back, showing off his mixed coloring—light gray from me and white patches from Aspensplash. Silverkit lay with her chin resting on his belly, her lighter gray stripes outlined in the light of the rising moon against her darker gray fur.

"I just…" I bit the inside of my cheek, hesitating. "I just don't want to leave you so soon. I mean, they're only a day old."

Aspensplash swiped at me with a paw, laughing. "What do you think's gonna happen? We're inside a thorny den with an entrance barely big enough for an adult cat to get through, inside another barrier of reinforced thorny bushes, guarded day and night by trained warriors. It's not like a fox could just _casually wander in!_ "

I laughed. "Yeah, I guess you're right." I pressed my muzzle between her ears and she twisted her head around like her neck was a snake to give my cheek a quick lick. "I'll be back before dawn," I promised.

"If I'm sleeping don't you dare wake me up."

"I won't, I promise." I headed slowly for the entrance, looking back over my shoulder at her. "See you tomorrow," I whispered.

"Love you," she smiled.

"Love you too."

"Watch—"

I walked straight into the wall of the nursery and stumbled backward, blinking a couple times in confusion. A purr echoed from the other side of the nursery and I twisted around to see Lightwing curled around her single kit, Brightkit. The gold and white of the little kit's fur contrasted strongly with her mother's light brown tabby tail.

"…where you're going," Aspensplash finished hopelessly. "Honest, Rainstar, how many times do I need to remind you to keep your eyes forward?"

"I guess you'll just have to walk in front of me for the rest of my life," I joked, trying to cover up my embarrassment. At least only my mother and mate saw that. "I can't seem to keep my eyes off of you."

"Aww, so sweet." Aspensplash gave me slightly sarcastic kitten eyes before shooing me onward with a flick of her tail. "Go on, you'll keep StarClan waiting."

"Right."

* * *

I set a fast pace through the moor and, following the SkyClan-WindClan border until I found the stream, I headed for the Moonpool. The gray rocks had been spattered with icy, sky-clear water, and though I slotted my paws firmly into imperfections in their surfaces, I still almost slipped several times. Either because of my concentration or due to the blasting wind, I didn't notice the scents of Cinderstar and Sootstar until I reached the top of the hill and looked down into the Moonpool.

"Rainstar!" Sootstar greeted me with an affectionate nuzzle as I joined him and Cinderstar in the inch or so of lingering snow around the Moonpool. "How are you? How are things in WindClan?"

"Great," I purred, beaming. "Guess what? Guess what?"

"What?" Cinderstar looked vaguely amused. "Oh wait, no, let me guess. Your kits were born."

"No way. Really?" Sootstar stared at me, his eyes wide.

"Yeah!" I had to restrain myself from bounding into the air in excitement.

"That's awesome! Congrats!" Sootstar head-butted my shoulder, sending me almost staggering into the Moonpool.

As I regained my balance I heard Cinderstar mutter under her breath, "The one sure way to turn a tom into a kit again is for him to have kits of his own."

"First Sootstar, then me," I purred. "Who's going to be next?" I looked pointedly at Cinderstar. She shrugged and changed topics.

"So did you all get the same message? To meet here for a ceremony?"

"A ceremony?" Sootstar blinked. "I didn't hear about a ceremony."

"I did," I meowed. "Maybe they just forgot to tell Goldenwing?"

"Maybe. What do you think it's for?"

"Maybe we should actually, you know, _visit with StarClan._ Now that we're all here, anyway." Cinderstar stared directly at me and I wondered if she just said that to get back at me. Probably. I accidentally-on-purpose trod on her tail as I settled between her and Sootstar.

"Wait," Sootstar said suddenly, "what about the other leaders? Do you think Mossystar and Rockstar are also coming?"

I hesitated, staring up the path, my gaze following its spiraling track around the hollow. "I didn't see any sign of Rockstar on my way here," I said uncertainly.

"Mossystar wouldn't dare be late," Cinderstar assured Sootstar. "If she were coming she'd be here by now."

"I guess it's just us then," Sootstar murmured. We exchanged a glance and I got the feeling we were all thinking about the same tom. _Ashthorn._

My mind briefly flashed back to the battle, to Dawnshine's face twisted in hatred as Ashthorn grinned behind her, to all five leaders standing on the Highledge, staring down at the Clans, to Lightwing's tense face as I told her what had happened, her terse nod of acceptance and my sigh of relief, to Aspensplash and our moonlit walk that night, to our adrenaline-packed, muffled laughs as we almost disrupted another lakeside venture, our constant shushes as we backed away from Lightwing and Hyperion.

I shook my head to clear it. "But he vanished. He dissolved into smoke, remember? How could it be about him?"

"Then why were the other leaders not invited to this party?" Sootstar asked in a low voice.

I had no answer to that, and neither apparently did Cinderstar. After a moment more of silence, she twisted her lips into an expression reading _I don't know_ , shrugged again, and turned toward the water of the Moonpool. "I guess let's find out."

"Agreed."

Sootstar and I lined up around the outside of the Moonpool, one on either side of her. I watched my brother and sister out of the corner of my eye to make sure we all drank at about the same time, barely noticing the taste as I swallowed a small mouthful of water.

The soporific effect was immediate. I blinked several times, my knees turning to feathers, staggering back from the water so I wouldn't accidentally fall in and drown. I collapsed in a heap amongst the rocks, my eyes slipping behind the waterfalls of my eyelids, drowning in the sudden darkness.

* * *

The waterfalls dried up and I came to in a dark, empty clearing. I quickly glanced at my paws and my heart lurched painfully as I saw I lay on what looked like a layer of solid air. Below me stretched the world with river stones for mountains and moss for forests. I quickly checked my shoulders for wings, but to my great relief found none.

Cinderstar got slowly to her paws, staring downward. She took a tentative step forward, her toes reaching for another foothold. They pressed against something flat. She tested her weight, then slammed her paw hard against the ground. I heard Sootstar give a slight gasp, but the air or whatever it was held. In a couple of heartbeats, Cinderstar had begun prancing around us, spinning in circles and laughing. "Come on, Sootstar! Get up! It's perfectly safe!"

I glanced over at my brother. He huddled in exactly the same position he'd arrived in, eyes wide and pupils dilated, shrinking into himself. Remembering his fear of heights, I shifted over toward him and pressed myself against his flank. "It's fine," I assured him. "Honest. You're in StarClan, what can hurt you here?"

"I thought… there'd be a ground," Sootstar muttered in a weak sort of voice. He laughed, his voice strained and too high.

As soon as he stopped talking, wisps of darkness began converging beneath our paws. Cinderstar, grinning like an apprentice, batted at them, chasing them across the invisible barrier, keeping to the solid air as long as possible before the wisps thickened into an opaque platform. She sighed in disappointment, but returned almost immediately to Sootstar and me.

Stars began emerging in the distance, blinking into view one at a time, slowly growing thicker and thicker. I twisted around and saw the bright lights advancing from all sides, closing in around the three of us. I wondered if I'd see anyone I knew, anyone who had died because of Nightstar or Ashthorn.

As the lights grew closer, they began to look more like cats than stars, with translucent, star-spangled fur, four paws, and tails. I touched my tail against Sootstar's as they grew closer, then Cinderstar's on my other side, standing firmly on my own paws. We waited in silence as the cats moved as though mostly floating, some dropping back into the mass of faces, leaving room for others in the front circle.

"Sootstar," a soft voice called.

"Cinderstar," came a deeper tone, a tom's voice. For some reason I thought I almost recognized it, but it wasn't quite the same.

"Rainstar." Mine seemed more familiar, though I still couldn't quite place it. I sifted through my memory, wondering who it could have been.

Three cats stepped forward. The first, a pale gray she-cat, stopped in front of Sootstar. My tail bristled as I recognized her pale blue eyes, but as my gaze roved down her body I hesitated. She didn't have Dawnshine's faint tabby markings. Was this, perhaps, her sister?

The second I recognized immediately. It was quite obviously Foxtooth. I smiled to myself as he pressed his muzzle briefly against Cinderstar's cheek and she stepped forward, returning the pressure affectionately.

The third made my limbs freeze in shock for a moment, though I didn't know why. Of course she'd come to see me. Why should I be surprised? But it still felt strange to see Silverdapple again after all these moons.

"Rainstar," she murmured, dipping her head to me. I returned the gesture, scarcely knowing what else to do. "You… you named your daughter after me."

"I—" My voice croaked. I coughed and tried again. "I know. Yeah." I licked my lips nervously. "Um, Aspensplash didn't mind. She said it was good to remember those who died in the battle for peace."

"She didn't take it as a sign you still loved me?" Silverdapple wasn't looking at me.

"StarClan cats can't take mates," I murmured. "Yeah? And… and she knows I love her."

Silverdapple looked up at me with a smile, though I couldn't tell whether it was forced or not. I desperately wished it to be genuine. "Good," she meowed. "I'm glad. You two deserve a happy life together."

"Th—thank you." I dipped my head again, still at a loss for what to do. I glanced around at Foxtooth, but he and Cinderstar appeared to be deep in a personal conversation and I didn't want to intrude. My attention turned toward Sootstar and his visitor.

"So… Dawnshine. What happened to her?"

The gray she-cat, who I assumed to be Featherpaw, glanced over her shoulder at the surrounding crowd. "She was sent to the Dark Forest," she said quietly. "I… I watched them do it. Bluestar and Firestar and Yellowfang… all the old heroes. They do most of the deciding."

"Oh." Sootstar paused, then closed his eyes. " _Good._ It's what she deserves."

"Yeah. Yeah, I guess so." Featherpaw bit her tongue, looking at Sootstar uncertainly for a moment. "But… but do you still miss her? I mean—I mean… I guess I don't want to be the only one missing her."

"I miss the cat she used to be," Sootstar said softly. "Before… But I mean, I guess I never knew her then. I only met her after you died."

Featherpaw pressed her muzzle against his cheek briefly, a gesture of comfort more than anything. "She hid it well for a long time," she whispered. "Even I couldn't see the difference. I thought she was back to normal long after I joined StarClan."

"What did you do after you realized she'd changed?" Sootstar's eyes flew open again and he pulled away from Featherpaw's touch. "Did you try anything?"

Featherpaw blinked, looking a little hurt. "Of course I did! What do you think, I sat up here on my rump and didn't even try to help my own sister? I came to her in dreams, but after I realized that was doing more harm than good, I tried getting to her through other cats." She shook her head sadly. "After Ashthorn caught her, she wouldn't listen. I tried everything."

Sootstar looked away. "Yeah. Okay. I'm sorry."

"It's fine." Featherpaw looked away for a moment, taking a deep breath. "She… she loved you, you know. You helped her hold on much longer than she would've otherwise."

Sootstar squeezed his eyes shut. He opened his mouth, but apparently couldn't think of anything to say and clenched his teeth again.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Cinderstar step back into her original position, gazing sadly at Foxtooth. He held her gaze for a moment, then turned and followed Featherpaw and Silverdapple into the crowd again. The trio disappeared from sight.

For a heartbeat, no one stepped forward. Then a cloud of stardust began trickling out from between the legs of a few unfamiliar cats. They stepped aside swiftly, though the crowd appeared too thick for easy movement, to make a path for the silhouettes of four cats. I squinted at them, but the cloud of dust was too thick to make out their features. They began walking forward, slowly and dramatically. I snorted to myself.

Their faces came into view at about the same time. My eyes flicked across them, taking in the black tom, the brown tabby tom, the gray she-cat, and the ginger tabby tom. They approached us, lining up to speak.

"Do you know who we are?" the black tom asked, his voice a strong yet oddly high-pitched tone.

"Erm…" I stared from face to face, working my claws nervously in whatever substance lay below my feet. Beside me, I felt Cinderstar shrug.

"Um, old leaders?" Sootstar guessed. He directed his question toward the black tom, but I noticed his eyes stayed fixed on the gray she-cat. Maybe it was her fur, but I felt the same way; she seemed the most familiar out of all the leaders.

"Very good," the brown tabby said, looking impressed. "Do you know _which_ old leaders?"

Sootstar set his teeth, thinking, but shrugged hopelessly.

"I am Bramblestar," he said, his voice a low rumble. "Does that give you a hint?"

I gasped. The leaders' eyes turned toward me. "You were the last leaders before the peace ended!" I stared from cat to cat. "You're Reedstar," I said to the black tom. "You're Ashstar. And you're Rowanstar."

"Correct," the she-cat nodded. "Besides Reedstar, the three of us were the last leaders of the Clans before you."

"Reedstar just _had_ to be the special flower," Rowanstar muttered.

Reedstar laughed. "Hey, _my_ Clan ended up doing much better than yours, I might point out."

" _Any_ way," Bramblestar interrupted, "we've come with a message and a gift. Shall I do the honors?"

"If you insist," Ashstar shrugged. She fixed the three of us with a penetrating stare. "But know this is coming from all four of us, not just Bramblestar."

I nodded.

Bramblestar sat down and the other leaders followed his lead. "Sootstar, Rainstar, and Cinderstar, you have done much for the Clans. You led them for many moons. You brought all five back together around the lake. You defeated both Nightstar and Ashthorn to bring peace to the forest at last, then learned to work together to finally end the fighting. It wouldn't surprise me if prosperity blesses the five Clans for lifetimes after all you have done.

"Because of this, the four of us would like to recognize you officially as Clan heroes. The names of Sootstar, Cinderstar, and Rainstar will be repeated for generations alongside those of Firestar, Lionblaze, Jayfeather, Dovewing, and the other greats. We and all of StarClan honor you."

The leaders dipped their heads toward us, quickly followed by the rest of StarClan. I glanced around briefly, then stared at my paws, feeling my fur growing hot. Sootstar didn't move beside me, taking it all in stoically, but Cinderstar leaped to her paws and spun around, drinking in the attention. "They're honoring _us_ ," she hissed in my ear, excitement vibrating underneath her voice. "All of StarClan! This… this is… _wow_."

"Yeah," I murmured.

After several more long heartbeats, heads began popping up. The first few, after seeing so many other cats with heads down, quickly ducked back into the crowd, but as more and more looked around, they started keeping their chins up. The four leaders at the front looked up last.

"We also have a gift for you three," Bramblestar continued. "Technically, Mossystar and Rockstar should be included in this, but seeing as they aren't also legends, we figured it would be best to just present this to you."

He glanced sideways at his fellow leaders. "I feel like I'm stealing all the attention. Ashstar, how about you finish?"

Ashstar rolled her eyes and muttered, "Uh huh, sure, leave just the last for the rest of us," but nodded anyway. Fixing the three of us with the same piercing gaze she'd used before, Ashstar meowed, "Usually the previous leader symbolically gives leadership of the Clan and the territory to the new leader at their nine lives ceremony. Ashthorn was meant to transfer this to you, but I believe we all can agree he never was a true leader of the Clans.

"Therefore, it is our duty as the most recent leaders to formally relinquish our territories to you. Rainstar," she stepped toward me, pressing her nose hard against my forehead, "I give you control of WindClan territory. Lead my former Clan well."

I closed my eyes at her touch. As the last word left her lips, weaving into my fur, I felt a slight breeze rush through my fur, flattening it briefly. I glanced downward and saw the outline of muscles like Sootstar's, usually hidden under my fluff. The sight of them made me grin, and once I started it was impossible to stop. I felt like a leader. An actual, legit leader.

Ashstar stepped back, as did Bramblestar and Rowanstar on either side of me, the wind dying away again. I stood proudly between my littermates, my chin raised, looking out at the whole of StarClan as they began chanting our names, their voices filling the air. I shut my eyes again, and for a heartbeat, I was able to step into Cinderstar's paws.

 _This feels really cool._

 _I'm a leader._

 _I am Rainstar, leader of WindClan. Welcome to my Clan._

 _I am one with the wind and the sky. The moors are my home. I run with the rabbits and sleep under the stars._

 _I am the leader of WindClan._

 _Hello, my name is Rainstar._

* * *

When I blinked open my eyes again, I lay once more by the Moonpool. Beside me, Sootstar and Cinderstar were also stirring.

"Urgh," Cinderstar grunted, propping herself up on her forepaws and scrunching up her face.

"Wow." Sootstar blinked several times, glancing around.

"Seriously." I glanced upward at the dark sky, covered with a thick bank of clouds.

"So…" Cinderstar looked from Sootstar to me and back again. "What happens now? Do we just go back to our Clans and lead them the way we've been doing for two moons now?"

I bit my lip. "Well… maybe not _exactly_ the way we have been. We officially own the territories now. We're going to go down in Clan history."

"So?"

I flicked my tail. "So? Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"Is it supposed to?"

"It does to me." I blinked, looking down at my paws, kneading my toes into the snow.

"I guess we can lead more confidently," Sootstar suggested, coming over to stand beside us. "Now that we have StarClan's respect. We led fine before, but… it's like we have confirmation that we're doing a good job."

Cinderstar snorted to herself, but shrugged all the same. "I suppose so." She got to her paws, heading toward the path leading up out of the Moonpool hollow. "Come on, it's almos—" She stopped, staring down at my paws.

"What?" I glanced downward, following her gaze. Poking between the claws on my right forepaw was a flash of bright green. I lifted my paw and it was revealed to be a tiny green bud, a baby flower.

"It's the first leaf of Newleaf," Sootstar murmured, bending down to nose it, brushing his muzzle gently against the flower. "I haven't seen a green this bright since the beginning of Leaffall."

Cinderstar joined us, staring down at the fragile stem. "Do you know what this means?" she asked quietly. I met her gaze as she glanced from Sootstar to me. "Newleaf is coming. We survived Leafbare."

Sootstar bowed his head, a smile breaking out across his face. "The Clans will survive."

I brushed the tips of my ears against Cinderstar's and Sootstar's, softly purring once. I seemed to be filling up with a warm liquid as it spilled from my chest into my paws and tail, pouring through my body like adrenaline.

"Congratulations, brothers," Cinderstar laughed. "We're legends. We've brought peace to the lake at last."

* * *

 **THE END**

 **I guess this is it. A New Rise, affectionately called the "Misty series," is now officially over. Wow. I actually kind of can't believe it. This series has been a part of my life, though maybe not an active one all the time, for about one and a half years. I don't know about you, but I think that's pretty insane. I have no idea how I stuck with the idea this long.**

 **I remember when I decided to write it-I was super bored one summer afternoon and got a random cool idea for three characters, so I typed them up on a note on my iPod, as well as their parents. Then, with a sudden burst of motivation, I switched to a new note and started writing the first chapter. Then I kinda sorta ended up with the first nine chapters and thought to myself, "Hey, this could actually go somewhere." And look at how far it's come.**

 **I have been asked by a bunch of people whether or not I will be writing anything else, possibly even another book/series centering around the trio's kits. I'm afraid I'm not going to do that, partially because I don't believe in making main characters into parents (it has a nasty habit of turning them into flat characters ;-;) and partially because I actually have another idea I really want to write.**

 **I didn't make Rowanstar have such a large role in this chapter, even though I felt bad about giving him only one line of dialogue, purely because I unintentionally stole his name for one of the main characters of this next book. It's going to be an extra-long standalone, I've decided, centering around two kits named Ivykit and Rowankit who were abandoned in the Twolegplace. I'm not going to say anything else here, because I'd love it if you read the FFN and saw for yourself what happens, but know that I'm super excited about it and will hopefully find more time to write in the coming weeks as some of my real-life responsibilities start decreasing.**

 **But I'm getting way off topic. Back to Misty one last time.**

 **What I really want to do most of all is say thank you, thank you, thank you so incredibly much to every single one of you. Whether you left me one review or reviewed every single chapter and did a buttload of fanart, you had a part in helping me finish this series. This is a major point in my life, the first time I've stuck with an idea long enough to turn it into a series, and it wouldn't have been possible without every single one of you. I hear regularly from many of you that I inspire you, but honestly, that inspiration goes both ways. I probably would've stopped writing partway through the first book if not for your support. You inspire me every single day to write and do what I love, and without you there would be no Misty series.**

 **I'm literally shaking with adrenaline as I write this. Is that a bad thing? XD Probably not. Anyway, I have one last shoutout to give. Thank you with all my heart to Leafy ( , previously known as Leafsplash-of-ThunderClan). I remember clearly the PM I sent her just when I was considering whether or not to stick with this idea, back when my only reviewer was Queen Eradrin, asking her how she was able to get so many people to read her series, Blue Moon. She suggested I start replying to reviews and offered (very generously, I don't know how I can thank her enough for this) to recommend my story to her readers. This series has kept growing ever since. Thank you so much, Leafy!**

 **I believe this is about it for my last author's note, seeing as I can't think of much else to write. Thank you again to every single one of you, because if you read this note it most likely means you've read the series, or at least most of it, and supported me through it. You all are amazing, incredible people, and you should never forget it because the world needs more people like you. 3 If you want, you can write/draw fan stuff. I've done what I can with this story, and now I open it up to all of you. If you want to write a series around Sootstar's, Rainstar's, and Lightwing's kits, I would love to read it.**

 **Love you all. Thanks a million. If you follow me as an author I believe you will get a notification when I post the first chapter of Take Flight. :) I'll see you around.**

 **~Snowfall16 (Snowy)**


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